Saiyan Tail
by Mataras
Summary: Desperate to escape a legacy he never wanted, the Saiyan boy named Gorun uses the dragon balls to wish himself to a place where he can never be found by his old life. He soon joins Fairy Tail, and their world is set to change- but for better or for worse? Cover art was made by my wife and myself. Disclaimers on the Fairy Tail and Dragon Ball franchises.
1. I Wish

**A/N: No, this is no April Fool's, my friends. A new story, a new hero. Thanks to all of you that have reached out to me after the release of my notice- you've all been far more supportive and concerned for me than I expected, and it touches my heart to see that you do care for the author, not just the stories. I sincerely hope that you enjoy my work once again, as you have before.**

 **The story begins in Conton City, which for those of you who don't know, is the city where you start out in the game Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, and the home of the Time Patrol (people that basically make sure the Dragon Ball timeline goes the way it's supposed to). Pretty much all you need to know in advance, everything else will be explained as we go.**

 **OP Song: Flow by Hero**

 **P.S. There is a preview for the rest of the story after the omake, so if you don't care for those, just skip the commentary after the chapter.**

* * *

 _Prologue: Chapter 1_

 **I Wish**

Conton City, Time Patrol Headquarters Age 868

"Is that him…?"

"Who's he?"

"You seriously haven't heard about that guy?!"

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I inwardly cursed, for perhaps the thousandth time in my life, my extra-sensitive Saiyan hearing. While nowhere near the level of acute hearing that a Namekian possessed, one _did_ tend to pick up on conversations that were whispered in one's close vicinity. Things like accidental eavesdropping were only made more annoying by the fact that most of the time, people would be discussing _you_ in what they thought were safe whisperings.

 _I hate this,_ I thought unhappily as I unobtrusively took note of a small group of people gathered underneath one of Conton City's palm trees, three of them humans, one of them a violet-colored Majin female. They were doing a lot less better of a job than I was at hiding the fact that they were staring as they discussed the subject of their curiosity.

"He's supposed to be the son of Goken and Lettis, the heroes of Toki Toki and Conton City!" That was the Majin, her high-pitched, girlish voice grating harder on my already-worn nerves. "That makes him the descendant of both Vegeta and Goku!"

"Wha-?! No way!" One of the humans, also a female, exclaimed. Did I detect a hint of daydreaming in her voice? _Ugh._

"Wait, does that make him a full Saiyan?" The first speaker, a dark-skinned male Time Patroller asked, his fingers going up slowly to his scouter. "If that's true, gotta wonder what his power level is…"

"Moron, it doesn't work like that," the Majin huffed loudly. "He's barely got any actual Saiyan blood in him- hardly any of them do nowadays- which makes a certain fact about him _way_ more interesting."

"What's that?"

"He's got the tail," the Majin said excitedly, causing me to narrow my eyes in further annoyance.

 _What am I, a genetic exhibition to these people?_ I thought, grinding my teeth, but doing my best to keep my power level in check.

"Big deal, so what if he's got a tail?" the fourth speaker, a pale Time Patroller from Earth asked airily, trying to pretend that the subject didn't interest him.

"Didn't you pay attention in biology?" the Majin girl sighed, annoyed. "Tails are really rare these days. Even though the Saiyan biology is mostly dominant whenever they have kids with another species, the tail is actually a recessive trait. Those that do have it are generally stronger than the ones without it- Gohan was a prime example of that!"

"So he's the descendant of the two most powerful mortals to ever walk the cosmos, and he's got basically every physical advantage that he could want?" asked the human girl. "Man, he must be raring to get to work on the Time Patrol. Supreme Kai of Time is probably gonna let him get to do all kinds of crazy stuff!"

"But his power level is only ten," the first male patroller muttered as he frowned at his scouter. "How…?"

It was at this point that I felt quite fed up with their ignorance and general rudeness. Standing up quickly from the bench I had been sitting on, I strode past them with my hands in my pockets and muttered just loud enough for them to hear, "If you're still relying on your scouter, you're a far cry from Time Patroller material."

"Oh!" exclaimed the Majin girl. "You, uh… You heard…?"

"You seem to be an expert on Saiyan biology," I replied pithily, glaring at the four of them, all but the last speaker seeming to shrink back a bit at my impending temper. "You tell me."

"Now, now," said the fourth member of the group, the one who had been acting disinterested. "There's no cause to be unpleasant. We were simply having a conversation among ourselves- in fact, if anyone has cause to be upset, it is us. You seem to have been eavesdropping." He tried to meet my gaze evenly, but I could detect the faint flicker of fear in his eyes that I was used to seeing in just about everyone I came across.

Speaking slowly as to make sure they got the message, I growled, "I don't give a damn if you're upset or not. If you're going to talk about someone close by, at least have the decency to include them in the conversation- or say it to their face. Don't whisper loud enough to wake the dead and point for everyone in sight to notice."

"We didn't point at y-"

"You used your scouter to try and read my power level, it's basically the same thing," I snarled, my thin patience already worn out. If there was any obvious trait other than my tail that I had inherited from my simian ancestors, it was my temper and lust for a good fight.

Moving on, I tossed over my shoulder, "This place is supposed to be for people of different ages uniting under the cause of protecting history- not a fan club for you lot to gush over your favorite superheroes." The girls reddened rapidly while the two men locked their jaws, and crossed their arms with sullen expressions.

 _Hmph, not even enough guts to try and pick a fight,_ I thought in further disappointment. My instincts were itching, my limbs almost aching for some action. Still, I couldn't just go around getting into fights because some Time Patrollers were annoying me.

Damned Elder Kai, running his mouth for all of time to hear, I sighed for the thousandth-and-one time.

For therein lay my problem. All my life, even since before the time before I could walk, I suspected, I had been compared to a name that was not my own. My father Goken, the first hero of the Time Patrol and personal friend to Trunks Briefs, was one of those names. Another was my mother Lettis, who had later on been identified as one of Trunks' future descendants come to the Time Nest to fight against Mira and Towa, and the Hero of Conton City who saved everyone, even my father, from being erased from time itself. Of course, their names paled when compared the luminosity of my more distant ancestors; Son Goku, the low-level Saiyan warrior who had transcended the gods themselves, and Vegeta, the once and forever Prince of all Saiyans who accompanied his eternal rival Kakkarot on their quest for ever-greater power.

There were other names on the list, of course. Gohan, the son of Goku, and his daughter, Pan, the first female Super Saiyan of Universe Seven. There was Trunks, Warrior of the Future, and de facto second-in-command of the Time Patrol itself. Even the name Bardock was well-known from my lineage. Other fighters in our family line had made their names known as well, and now it was time for me to take my place in their ranks.

Or so everyone assumed.

See, I never wanted to be compared to anyone in my bloodline- a silly fantasy, perhaps, seeing as blood runs thicker than water- but one that gripped me in my core nonetheless. I simply wanted to be me- a Saiyan warrior fighting in the service of the Time Patrol. Nothing more, and no one less than a fighter who made his name without constantly being compared to the legacies and accomplishments of those that had gone before him.

I had come to the Time Patrol under another name, even going so far as to have clothes made so that I could hide my tail underneath my pants as to not give away my heritage. My parents had known of this, and to my relief, they understood and supported my wishes to remain anonymous while I worked in the ranks of the Supreme Kai of Time. Unfortunately, someone seemed to have failed to inform the Elder Kai that I did not want to be recognized by the rest of the Patrol, and he wound up making a giant announcement to the entire organization that their heroes' child would be joining them on the front lines of time soon enough.

A small smirk escaped my determination to squelch it at the memory of what happened afterwards. Kai or no, the fact the he had survived my mothers' Gallick Gun- while in her Super Saiyan Two form, no less- was impressive. Still, the damage had been done, and before I knew it, every person in the place knew who I was and what to expect from me.

 _Must be nice_ , I thought bitterly. I don't even know what to expect from me. _How can I when everyone expects me to be just like my parents, or Goku, or Vegeta?! I just wish…_

I stopped right where I was, looking up slowly at the massive dragon floating in the sky above Conton City. A slow, wicked grin spread across my face as an idea struck me. _I wish…_

* * *

"Eternal Shenron! By your name, I summon thee!" The seven orange orbs blazed with a brilliant golden light, blinding several people in the immediate vicinity who were unprepared for the sudden arrival of the Eternal Dragon. The sky became black as ink, almost as though that sudden burst of light had drained it of its luminosity. And from the shining wish orbs, came forth the huge serpentine dragon known as Shenron.

The green, red-eyed dragon looked down loftily at its summoner and bellowed, " **Come! Say your wish! I shall grant any two wishes you desire!** "

"Mighty dragon, my wish is twofold!" the teenage Saiyan warrior announced. "I wish to be sent to a faraway land, where the names Goku and Vegeta have never been heard, not even in song or legend!" Down below, he could hear people gathering, beginning to wonder just who had summoned the dragon when the dragon balls were supposed to be kept locked up in the Time Vault, where only a select few could retrieve them from their resting place.

"You speak of two wishes, yet only one has been spoken!" Shenron growled. "Speak quickly, Gatherer."

"As you wish, Great One!" the summoner said with a deep bow. "Very well, the second part of my wish is as follows- erase my presence from the minds of all who knew me, so that they may never follow me to retrieve me against my will! I wish to never return here!"

To his great disappointment, Shenron said, "I cannot grant you this wish. It is beyond my power to interfere with the mind of a Kai such as the Supreme Kai of Time."

"But if she learns of where I've gone, she'll bring me back here!" the boy shouted angrily. "Please, Shenron! I must make my own journey, my own path!"

Shenron seemed to ponder for a moment, even as the boy's apprehension grew. He knew that if he didn't get away soon, he would be caught, and there would go his dream of carving a path unencumbered by his ancestry. Finally, the green dragon said, " **If your wish is to forever remain undisturbed by the people of your past, then I can assure you that they will never be able to use me to summon you back to this place against your will. Nor will I tell them where I send you.** "

"Not exactly what I was going for, but it's better than nothing," the youth muttered, his dark eyebrows furrowing. Raising his voice, he said, "Very well, Eternal Dragon! I wish for you to never reveal my location, lest I be summoned back here!"

The green dragon nodded once before his crimson eyes glowed brightly. " **Your wish has been granted,** " he said before the boy in front of him disappeared in a flash of golden light, a smile on his young face.

No sooner than he had than did Lettis, Goken, Trunks, and the Supreme Kai of Time come dashing up the stairs that led to the dragon ball pedestal. "Shenron, wait!" Lettis cried out, but it was too late. With a final growl, Shenron- and the dragon balls with him- vanished in a flash of light.

"Damn!" Goken swore. He was a tall, muscular part-saiyan man with black hair and green eyes. "What was that boy thinking?! All he leaves is a note!"

"You don't actually think he's… you know?" Trunks winced, rubbing his jaw. "Not coming back?"

"Knowing my son…" Lettis groaned in frustration. "He would." She was a small part-saiyan woman, slender in appearance, with light brown hair and gray eyes.

"Huh, bummer," the female Kai said, frowning. "I was really looking forward to working with him- he showed a lot of talent."

"Well, we can't just give him up as lost like that!" Trunks said earnestly. "We've got to collect the dragon balls again so we can summon him back here- help him see that this isn't so bad! I mean, a lot of people would kill to be more famous than Hercule…" Having been Goken's friend for many years, he was aware of his son's reluctance to be compared to others in their ancestry. Though perhaps since he had been compared to his father, Vegeta, on a regular basis, he didn't see why the boy was going through such trouble to escape the attention.

"Our son doesn't care about fame- just the opposite," Goken reminded him sternly. "In fact, he despises the attention his genealogy has generated. If it got to him bad enough that he'd use the dragon balls to wish himself away from all of us, maybe he is better off making his own path…"

"Goken!" Lettis cried reproachfully.

"What?" the Hero of Toki Toki City shrugged. "He's just trying to make his own way, figure out who he is. With abilities like his, he'll be fine no matter where he goes- after all, both Goku and Vegeta trained him since he was little." Since time flowed differently in Conton City, the two pure-blooded saiyans had their hands full with teaching the remainders of their races in the art of combat for the sake of the Time Patrol.

"But he's our son, and we have no idea where he went!" Lettis protested. Hardened warrior though she was, this was proving to be a little too much for her to handle. Goken's gaze softened as he went to comfort his wife, holding her close and murmuring kind words.

"Chronoa, what do you make of all this?" Trunks asked the Supreme Kai of Time in a lowered voice. "Should we start gathering up the dragon balls to bring him back? After all, he does know a lot of things that could put the flow of time at risk if he acts without supervision." It spoke a great deal of how much the Supreme Kai of Time trusted Trunks, for him to know her by a first-name basis. There were perhaps three or four beings left in existence who knew the name.

"Hmm…" the petite kai mused. After a moment, she muttered, "You might be right, Trunks… I'm going to check some of the scrolls, see if anything has changed because of his actions here. I'll call you up as soon as I find anything."

Trunks nodded, watching her go for a moment. Then he switched his gaze to where they had last seen Shenron, and thought to himself, _Damn… Where'd you wish yourself to, Gorun?_

* * *

Magnolia, Fiore Year X789

Kinana smiled sweetly at the kind tiller as she left with the day's grocery supply for the guild hall in hand. She was an attractive fifteen-year-old girl with short purple hair and brilliant green eyes that matched her dress. A purple overcoat a few shades lighter than her deep violet hair helped to shield her from the cold as she began the trek out of the suburban area.

She paused as she reached the path that would lead her home to admire the view of the small city. The weather outside was pleasant today, with only a few clouds in sight, allowing the sun's rays to warm the snowy hills of Magnolia. The winter had been a cold one thus far, so this brief respite from the chilly weather was a welcome one for the inhabitants.

There was a sturdy-looking building that was just on the edge of town that caught her attention, but she quickly averted her eyes, not wanting to bring the tears back. Brushing at the stinging in her eyes, she was about to turn back to continue her journey home when a low whistle caught her attention, causing her to spin to her right, where she saw a stranger standing alone. His gaze was fixed on the city like hers had been, but she was certain that he hadn't been there a moment ago.

He was tall, nearly matching Gildarts' height by her estimation, but he was built a little different to the renowned Fairy Tail mage, with a wirier look to his frame. His skin was tanned slightly, topped by jet-black hair that sort of reminded her of Natsu's unkempt hairdo, but with less volume. His clothing consisted of a blue-and-green set of light armor with the letters 'TP' stylized with an arrow wrapped around them on his left pectoral muscle- an odd wardrobe choice, even if he might be a wizard, Kinana thought. Even as she stared at him curiously, he turned to look at her with a young face wearing a small grin and friendly gray eyes.

"Hi," he said as he waved to her. "This is a nice view- couldn't help but notice."

"Oh, uh, yes," she stammered. "I suppose it is." Briefly, she wondered if he might be a bandit waiting for her to lower her guard. Though if that was the case, he could have easily taken her by surprise instead of stopping to admire the view.

"Suppose?" he chuckled, his tone still light. For a second, she feared that he would not take kindly to her disagreeing with him, but all he did was smile a little brighter and say, "Well, if you can only suppose about this view, I'd love to see what you call a nice one."

"Erm…" she stammered, unsure of how to interact with this stranger.

He seemed to sense this, for he shook his head and smacked himself above the eyes, muttering, "Stupid, stupid. Manners!" Taking a few quick strides forward, he held out a hand to her with another smile as he said, "Sorry 'bout that. I should've introduced myself- name's Gorun."

"K-Kinana," she stammered, surprised at his sudden approach and looking from his hand to the groceries in her grip. "I- I- Umm…"

Again, the boy seemed to recognize his error, for he smacked himself in the face again and said, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking- I was just a bit distracted, I guess. Here, do you need any help carrying those?"

His young face seemed in earnest, and Kinana thought shyly, _Why not? He doesn't seem harmful, and the guild is close by, in case anything happens…_ Besides, he _was_ kind of cute. She held out her right arm for him to take one of the bags, which he did quickly and effortlessly. "Thank you," she said with a slight smile, which he returned brightly.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" he said cheerfully. "I think it'll be a good one."

"Really?" Kinana asked, cocking her head at him slightly. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, it's been a long time since I've been able to just admire my surroundings, so now that I get to do so, it's even better that I meet a nice lady like you for company," he said easily, unabashed. "Seems like a recipe for a good day to me."

"I- I guess," Kinana said, blushing a little bit. "Where were you before that the country was so terrible to look at? Was it Veronica?"

"No idea what that is," he said casually. "I come from… Well, let's just say I'm from quite a ways a way, and I won't be going back." The smile on his face faltered a little bit, but it returned when he turned to look directly at her. "So, do you live in the city there? Or somewhere on the outskirts?"

"Oh!" she said, caught slightly off-guard. "These groceries are for my workplace. I was on my way there." She made a slight beckoning motion, and Gorun turned to follow her as she began to walk further up the road.

"Do you work at a restaurant?" the boy asked, rubbing his stomach at the thought of food.

"No, I work at, er… Fairy Tail." The last two words were delivered in such a soft voice that Gorun would have had to strain to hear it, if he didn't have sensitive ears.

"You work for a fairy tale shop?" he asked, a little confused.

"No, the guild," she answered, looking at him with a slightly guarded expression. "You've never heard of it?"

"I'm not from around here, remember?" he chuckled lightly, and she realized that he was in earnest, not making fun of her. "A guild, eh? What kind of association is it?"

"A wizard's guild," she answered immediately, and he nearly tripped over his own feet. Kinana didn't seem to notice since she had returned her gaze to the road ahead of them. "The members take on job requests to earn money, with a small percentage going to the guild in exchange for food and employment."

"Huh," Gorun said, his tone a little more guarded than before. "So, wizards as in magic? Does umm… the name 'Majin' mean anything to you, Miss Kinana?"

"Like a demon?" she asked, looking back up at him.

"No, not exactly…" he replied, his grin a little strained. "As in Majin Buu. Sound familiar?" His readings on what happened to people exposed to the magic of a Majin wasn't exactly a light reading.

"No, I can't say I've heard that term before," she said, cocking her head slightly at him. "Is that what your people call magic where you come from?"

"Well, more the people that use it," he chuckled lightly, the tension leaving him. "I suppose things are different here."

"Yes, it's not exactly nice to call someone a majin," Kinana told him. "Our guild had a member whose entire village was killed by a demon called Deliora, so it's a little bit of a sensitive subject, depending on who you're talking to."

"You _had_ a member?" Gorun asked as they rose over a small hill in the road.

"He and a lot of others from our guild went missing a little less than six years ago," Kinana answered. "It was really big news for our country. See, up until then, our guild was number one in Fiore."

Gorun assumed that Fiore was the country he had found himself in. "So, what happened to them?" he asked. "Er, sorry for your loss."

"I appreciate that," Kinana said with a sad little smile. "They were attacked by a dragon- which is pretty crazy, considering everyone thought they died out centuries ago, except for maybe a few of them."

"Died out?" Gorun asked, confused. "How many dragons are we talking about?" He was beginning to get the idea that dragons here might be a little different than Shenron and other Namekian dragons.

"There were enough to rule the world four hundred years ago, so maybe some hundreds of thousands," Kinana answered, looking askance at her companion. "I thought that was world-wide history."

"News to me," Gorun shrugged vaguely. "I was pretty well-removed where I was… I'll make things easier and just say that I have next to nothing on the world's history or current events." Before she could say anything, he added, "I suppose that must sound crazy."

"Not really," she shrugged. "Sounds like you might have been cursed in some way or another. Kind of like me."

"Cursed?" Gorun repeated, his curiosity skyrocketing. "How were you cursed?"

"A few months before our strongest wizards were reported to have been wiped out by Acnologia- that's the dragon I was talking about- our guild master at that time found me in his garden in the form of a purple snake. He somehow knew I was a human, though, and he got rid of the curse for me. Though I can't remember anything from when I was the snake, or even before that."

Gorun's eyes widened, then softened. "That sounds rough," he said kindly. "I'm sorry I brought it up."

"N-No, it's fine," the girl smiled shyly again. "I've grown up pretty happy with Fairy Tail, even if things are kind of hard for us right now…"

Gorun reflected quickly on their conversation and put the pieces together. "Lemme guess…" he said quietly, his gray eyes narrowing. "Without your strongest wizards, your guild lost its standing in the community, and the finances are tight right now, huh?"

Kinana nodded glumly. "That about sums it up," she admitted. "We were forced to relocate to a farm with a loan, and now we're in debt to the people who bailed us out of bankruptcy." She looked up at him with a sad sort of smile and said, "Honestly, we've lost so many members and our clientele has faded away so much that I was surprised you kept talking to me after I mentioned I work for the guild."

"You seemed like a nice person, and I don't know anything about this guild stuff, so I suppose that helped," he grinned ruefully. "Honestly though, your guild has that many haters?"

"Unfortunately," she said, her tone still glum.

"Well…" He scratched his head as he mulled over what he was about to say. "Are there any combat-type jobs?" She looked at him, supremely confused. Seeing this, he added, "I mean, I could use some work- I don't have any money- and I'm a pretty decent fighter. If you have any openings, or maybe I could do a trial run-type of thing…?" He looked at her hopefully.

"You… want to join… Fairy Tail?" she asked, making sure she wasn't just hearing things.

"If you don't have any openings, I understand," he said quickly. "I suppose this is a little strange- meet a stranger on the side of the road, he has no idea what's happening around him, makes for a lame conversation, suddenly, hey! He wants a job with your guild." He grinned sheepishly as he scratched his neck nervously. "I suppose it was a long shot."

"N-No!" she said quickly. "It's just… Well, like I said, we're not very well liked right now, and… Wait, what kind of magic can you do?"

"Umm…" Here Gorun stumbled, realizing the kink in his proposition. _I don't do magic, but will this girl and her comrades know the difference?_ He thought. Then, he hit a compromise that made him grin brightly again.

"Ki magic," he said confidently.

"You manipulate raw energy?" she asked.

"Something like that," he replied, surprised that she had grasped what he was saying so quickly. "I know some, er, people, who would simply call my power 'ki', and others who would insist that it is magic. Personally, I don't think it matters much- I concentrate enough, and things start exploding."

"You'll probably be asked to demonstrate to our guild master, Macao, but I don't see any reason why you can't join," Kinana said, eyes shining excitedly. "You'd be our first new recruit in four years! Master will be so thrilled!"

"Really?" Gorun was again surprised. "Your master would welcome me so quickly?"

"Like I said, we could use some new recruits," the girl giggled. "C'mon, let's go! I'm excited for you to meet- oh no…" She stopped walking as she stared at a mid-sized farm, which in some ways reminded Gorun of Goku and his family from the history scrolls. He noticed that the doors were open, and two men were standing in the entrance. Even at their distance, he could tell that they were arguing with somebody inside.

"What's happening?" he asked the girl quietly, who had gone very still.

"Those two are from Twilight Ogre, a guild that we made the mistake of borrowing money from," she said softly. "They've been driving up the interest rate to keep us in debt, and they take any opportunity they can to trash our hall…" She closed her eyes as her shoulders slumped in resignation.

"That so…?" Gorun mused. Turning to Kinana, he said, "Mind taking this back for me? I'll lend a hand to your friends."

"Huh?" she gaped at him as he handed her back her grocery bag and began to walk closer to the guild hall, cracking his knuckles as he went. "B-But they're really strong! You'll get hurt- please don't!" She started after him, but he held up a hand in a motion for her to remain where she was.

Before she could protest further, he turned back with a cold look on his face as he said, "Stay here, Miss. Please. I promise I'm plenty strong enough to handle some thugs." His tone and expression were so different from the friendly, charming young man that she'd met on the road that she decided it might be best if she did, in fact, stay where she was. "This won't take long!" he called over his shoulder.

"O-Okay…" the shy girl stammered. Still, she had to wonder- what was one boy going to do against two full-grown wizards strong enough to keep Fairy Tail's master in check?

Gorun walked up quietly as one of the men on the inside shouted, "Look, we'll have the payment tomorrow- on the day the contract _your boss_ _drew up_ says to!" He was an older man with purple-gray hair and a thick moustache. Beside him was another older man with light brown hair and a smoking pipe. Both of them looked like they were tired, frustrated, and ragged.

"Boss is goin' on a holiday tomorrow," said one of the two intruders, a short, squat man dressed in black and bald. He sounded almost bored, Gorun thought. "He don't wanna wait. So cough it up."

"You don't want a repeat of last month, do ya?" asked his companion, a tall, brown-skinned man with bushy black hair that carried a spiked club over his shoulder as if it weight no more than a child's bat, though it was easily the size of the man himself.

"Mind if I intrude?" Gorun's voice was pitched low, but it carried to the four men gathered in the entrance.

The two men inside the building looked surprised while the aggressors looked annoyed. "This one of yours?" asked the bald man.

"No, never seen him before," the purple-haired man said. "I saw him coming, thought he was one of yours."

"That makes more sense, now don't it?" laughed the man with club. "Hey new guy- the boss send you over to help us out with these clowns? They ain't payin' up again." The two older men bristled at this.

"We're gonna pay you, but not a day before it's due!" growled the smoker, his voice sounding hoarse from the habit.

"I'm not with these ogres," Gorun shrugged. "I was having a nice chat with Miss Kinana back there-" he gestured to the girl waiting up the road with a thumb over his shoulder- "and she mentioned that your guild could do with a few more members. Thought I would drop off my application."

The two Twilight Ogre men burst out laughing while the two from Fairy Tail looked sullen. "Not funny, kid," said the first speaker. "Things are hard enough without punks coming by and-"

"What he's saying," guffawed the club-wielder as he clapped a hand on Gorun's shoulder, "is that you'd be better off joinin' a real guild. Tell ya what- help us get the debt money from these chumps, and I'll put in a word with our boss. You'd do well with us instead of these losers- we'll help train that little bit o' magic I can sense you got. Plus, we're the best guild Magnolia's got!"

Gorun smirked- his ability to lower and raise his power level at will seemed to be unencumbered so far. "I have all the power I need right now, thank you," he said coldly. "And I said I wanted to join Fairy Tail. If you lot are part of Magnolia's finest, then I'd have to say the place has some pretty low standards."

"What was that?!" the bald man snapped.

"Your hearing is fine, unless the fat folds of your neck are blocking your ears," Gorun said flatly, looking at the other man with contempt. "Now leave, both of you. I've got an interview with these gentlemen, and I'd rather keep a swift schedule."

"Congrats, your swift schedule just earned you a one-way trip on the pain train!" the man with the club shouted angrily. He swung the heavy weapon at Gorun, who sighed heavily.

He ducked the clumsy blow, using the same movement to sweep his attacker's legs, sending him sprawling in the snow, disbelief and pain on his face. Gorun sensed the next attack coming from the fat man, so he leaped up high and back, bringing his hands close together at the side of his ribcage. The fat man's energy flared slightly as his stone-make spell missed the teenaged Saiyan hybrid.

Gorun landed, stance steady and energy swirling in his body. _Time to finish this._ "Kamehameha!" he shouted, thrusting his hands forward, aiming to blast the man all the way back to Magnolia.

Nothing happened.

"Huh?!" Gorun said as he stared at his outstretched hands with wide eyes, even as the others looked at him, apparently just as confused as he was. _Dammit Shenron, what happened to my abilities?!_ He thought angrily. _I can feel my ki just fine, so why didn't that do anything?!_

Raising his hands, he shouted, "Masenko!" Again, nothing happened. "Kienzan! Double Sunday! ...Big Bang Attack?!" Still, the energy would not leave his body. "What the hell?!" Not even a simple ki blast would leave his hands.

"Looks like he's pissin' himself scared!" the club-wielder laughed as he got up. "He knows he messed up!"

"To bad it's too late for him to take it back!" the fat man agreed. Over his shoulder, he added to the Fairy Tail men, "If this is the kinda punks your sad excuse for a guild attracts, you can have 'em! Well… you can have the leftovers of this one."

"Run, kid!" the purple-haired man shouted. "These guys play for keeps!"

"So do I," Gorun snapped, thoroughly angry. "Besides, I don't need my powers for these fools." Apparently everyone had forgotten just how quickly he'd taken down one of the men while dodging the other in favor of paying attention to the fact that he couldn't seem to use magic. _Gonna have to figure this out, and fast,_ he thought. _Maybe there's more to these people's magic- and therefore the rules of this world- than I thought…_

Pushing aside the thoughts for now, he settled into the combat stance that Vegeta had shown him when he was a small boy. "Come at me, both of you," he called out to the Ogres. "And try to make it interesting."

"You got a death wish, kid?!" the club-wielder laughed as his weapon glowed with energy, Gorun's keen eyes focused on it, taking note of a small green circle that flashed to life at the end of the weapon for just the smallest moment. He immediately noticed the corresponding spike in energy coming from the man, and his eyes narrowed, looking to the fat man for something similar. The moment a bronze circle appeared before his other opponent, Gorun breathed a small thanks to Piccolo, who had always impressed the habit of studying one's enemy as much as one could before moving to engage them.

 _Those circles have something to do with their energy release_ , he thought as he leaped twenty feet in the air- apparently his muscles still worked exactly how they should- just before coming down to plant his boots on the club carried by his enemy, causing him to drop it and let out a cry of surprise.

The next thing he knew, there was an ugly _crack_ as Gorun's fist broke the man's jaw and sent him sliding through the snow again, this time to stay for a while. Spinning with lightning speed, he lashed out with a reverse kick that broke apart a stone fist that had been aimed to shatter his spine. "Good try, but no," he laughed contemptuously. Not giving his enemy a chance to say anything in return, he leaped forward at high speed again, this time to drive his right knee into the man's nose, breaking it and instantly knocking him out cold.

Gorun looked down at his knee with a slight grimace as he noticed that there was a small bloodstain on the spot where his leg had connected with the man's face. "Dammit, these were my favorites," he complained. Looking over to the two Fairy Tail men, he ignored the looks of utter shock on their faces as he asked, "Do either of you know anything that'll get the bloodstain out of this?" Then, as an afterthought, he added, "Also, those circles that kept appearing when they attacked- mind telling me how they work? My, er, magic seems to be a bit faulty."

The smoker looked at his friend, who just stared at Gorun blankly for some silent moments. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, "Uh… What was that about wanting to join Fairy Tail?"

"I need a new job," Gorun grinned, his tone friendly again. "My last one didn't pan out too well."

* * *

"I see… so you've always been taught to use your magic without a magic circle," Macao said as he and Gorun sat down at one of the tables with steaming mugs of cider in hand, courtesy of Kinana, who had been just as in awe of Gorun's martial skills as the guild master. The teenage Saiyan had told Macao that where he grew up, it wasn't normal practice to draw up magic circles to project one's energy, and that they mostly did it on instinct. It wasn't completely true, but Gorun wasn't planning on telling them that he was from another dimension just yet, so this seemed like a safe medium for now.

"Can't say I'd advise starting out that way, young man. It takes a bit longer to summon up a corporeal circle for your magic, but you're pretty much guaranteed a successful casting every time. Otherwise, you might not even be able to release your magic- like what happened today with Twilight Ogre." Macao drank deeply before adding, "I've honestly never heard of a place that casts magic without drawing up a circle- where'd you say you come from?"

"Off the map," Gorun shrugged. "Small place called Conton that's not associated with any of the larger nations." Again, it wasn't a total lie, which he felt might help him keep track of things if people repeated their questions.

"What brought you out here?" Macao asked.

"I sought to escape a legacy I never wanted," Gorun said after a moment in a low voice. "I came to Fiore to make a new life for myself, one where I don't have my path laid out for me at every turn."

Macao looked at the serious young man appreciatively. "My predecessor, Makarov," he said once another moment of silence had passed, "was always saying that it's important to forge your own path in life. He also believed in helping out kids like you by giving them a place to call home."

Gorun's eyes snapped up, shining with excitement. "Are you offering me a place to work?" he asked excitedly. "Can I join your guild?"

Macao laughed heartily, drawing the attention of the few other members that had remained at Fairy Tail over the years. "Kid, you remind me of some of the people we lost at Tenrou Island six years back. And I'm not just talking about your skills- you've got heart, and these days, Fairy Tail could use some heart. We'd love to have you."

Gorun was stunned. "Just like that?" he asked.

"Almost," Macao grinned, though this one was slightly rueful. "We're a wizard's guild. You gotta be able to show us some kind of magic power before we can officially accept you- country law."

Gorun frowned slightly as he lowered his voice while saying, "But sir, Kinana… I didn't sense any magic power in her. I can sense it in everyone else in here, but not her. How is it that she is a member, then?"

"She works for the guild as a barmaid, not a wizard," Macao said patiently. "It's not that unusual, you know. She helps out around the place, but doesn't go out on field work."

"Ah," Gorun mused. "Guess I'd better figure out these magic circles, then." _Shenron, if you can hear me, I hope Beerus smashes your wish orbs the next time you're summoned!_ He fumed silently. _I know I wanted to get away, but I didn't want to have to retrain myself to do it!_

* * *

As it turned out, the task of being able to learn how to use his energy attacks was easier than he thought it would be. After witnessing multiple forms of magic, Gorun noticed that not only was the color different for each type of magic, the designs of each circle was radically different as well. When he asked Macao about this, the man said, "Of course they're different! My son practices fire magic like me, but even if we cast the same spell, his would look different than mine, because we're different people."

"But I thought you needed to know which formula to conjure in order to project your energy," Gorun frowned. He'd spent several days reading through books that Kinana and some of the other guild members had lent him about the formation of magic circles, and all of them had agreed that one needed a magic circle formula to cast a spell.

"Yes and no," Macao told him. "The general pattern of the circle is needed to project a certain kind of energy, but the individual wizard adds his or her own spin to the spell simply because of their own identity."

"Hmm…" Gorun mused as Macao went to attend to one of the board requests. _If that's the case, if I learn the basic formula for a light magic circle, I might be able to use most of my attacks, since they seem to be based off of light… or maybe raw energy._

He quickly found that what he called 'ki', the residents of Fiore more commonly referred to as 'ethernano'. While there were plenty of notes on its properties and theories of its origins, he found nothing in the way of magic circles that would harness it directly. The closest he found were some references to holy elemental light magic, but based on what he read, it wasn't quite what he was looking for.

When he brought it up to Wakaba, Macao's right-hand man (the pipe-smoker), the older man had wheezed with laughter and said, "You want a magic circle that lets ya harness ethernano?! Good luck, kid. Only the Magic Council has access to that information, and they'd sooner destroy it than let anyone in the public have it."

"So there's absolutely no way to get the formula for that circle other than to get it from the Magic Council?" Gorun asked, disappointed.

"Not a chance," Wakaba affirmed. "The Etherion is kind of their end-game magic."

"Damn."

* * *

Gorun took to working in the bar with Kinana to repay the guild for letting him sleep in the attic of the barn and feeding him while he researched how to harness his powers again. The girl let him do the cleaning and bussing for the most part while she tended to the food- Gorun admitted that he was a terrible cook. The girl said that she appreciated the assistance, and was very helpful to Gorun in his quests to find out all he could about how magic functioned, often by taking him to the local library so that he could do his research.

He often trained alone to maintain his physique, as he doubted anyone in the guild would be able to keep pace with his combat abilities, but he didn't mind it too much. He found that his speed and strength were undamaged, his ability to sense energy was perfectly fine, but his flight and any other ki-type manipulations were beyond his reach for now, even though he could still feel the energy within his body. This included his attempts to transform into a Super Saiyan (which he had accomplished since the age of seven), but he did not know if this would extend to the Ozoru transformation, since it was technically a bodily reaction to moonlight, and he wasn't about to test it yet. Several times while he was training in the yard, he noticed some men from what he assumed was Twilight Ogre, but they always ran away as soon as they noticed him.

* * *

It had been about a month since Gorun's arrival when he finally noticed something about the magic circles he had been studying. He was comparing fire magic circles with water magic circles, trying to see if the key to unlocking etherion was in elemental magic, when he noticed several similar characteristics between the two of them, despite the fact that they were almost polar opposites.

Frowning, he made some notes, an idea forming. He then moved on to plant magic, comparing the circles to the ones that he already noted, quickly realizing that they too, had similarities despite their supposedly different origins. _Interesting…_

Briefly, he wondered why no one in the guild had noticed this before, but the answer hit him almost as quickly. _Everyone is busy pursuing their own branch of magic, they won't bother to study another pattern in-depth. Only people like this Magic Council they talked about would probably bother to research any similarities…_

He pushed through several more branches of magic, making sure to take careful note of the similarities between the patterns. When he had gone through about twenty circles or so, all of them unrelated to one another, he felt positive that he had enough to begin drawing up the formula he needed, as several of the notes he was making were becoming redundant in nature. A large smile spread across his face as he thought, _Here I come, Fairy Tail._

* * *

"Master Macao, I would like to apply to be a wizard for Fairy Tail," the boy said as he strode into the guild hall that afternoon. "I am confident that I can perform magic to the satisfaction of the country law that you mentioned."

"Just like that?" Wakaba asked with polite disbelief. "You couldn't have possibly found what you were looking for in less than a month."

"Try me," Gorun smirked. "I'll fight anyone in the guild using only magic."

"That's a pretty bold claim," Macao said, but he looked interested. Glancing around the room, he said, "Max- feel up to a fight?"

"Sure thing, boss," said a sandy-haired young man with some stubble on his chin that looked like it was trying desperately to become a beard. "I need to be on a train in two hours, but I can get this done."

"Don't worry," Gorun smirked as he led the way outside. "This won't take two minutes."

"Confidence will only get you so far," Max grinned back. "But I'll humor you. Let's see what you've got." There was still snow on the ground, some of it fresh from that morning, and the skies were overcast, but it wasn't exactly dark yet. Macao reasoned that at least whoever lost would have a soft landing, and the cold would help numb the hurt one of them would undoubtedly sustain.

"Ready when you are," Max called out as they stood twenty feet away from one another.

 _Start with something basic and familiar…_ Gorun thought as he settled into a ready stance, his hands automatically coming to rest near his ribcage. _Picture the magic circle I drew up… Picture the energy flowing from me into it, and from it, the ki waves emerging…_

This time when he willed the energy to gather, the familiar blue light that had become legendary throughout much of the multiverse pooled between his cupped hands and he grinned fiercely- he had done it. "I suggest you block or dodge this!" he laughed, the sheer elation of having his abilities back automatically raising his power level.

"I think I'd rather take you out before you can use it!" Max grinned back, extending his hands and shouting, "Sand Blast!" The ground around him erupted and formed into a pillar of sand that shot through the air, aimed to strike Gorun in the chest.

"I warned you!" Gorun shouted back, the blue ball in his hand growing larger, swelling to the size of a melon. " _Kamehameha!_ " He thrust his hands forward, a pale blue magic circle appearing before his palms before a laser beam shot forth, shredding Max's sand magic before shooting past his opponent's face and colliding with a cluster of trees that was immediately blown to splinters.

For a long moment, there was a still silence that was somehow made louder by the now freshly-falling snow. It was finally broken when Macao stepped forward and said, "I guess we'd better have a party to celebrate the newest member of our guild."

* * *

 **Closing Song: Snow Fairy by Nathan Sharp**

 **Mataras: It's good to be doing what I love again.**

 **Gorun: I'm sure some of your readers are glad to have you back, too. The ones that stuck around, anyway.**

 **Mataras: To be fair, I did leave them hanging for quite a while with little to no word on where I was.**

 **Gorun: More like _how_ you were. You mentioned in that apology letter of yours that you'd been having some serious health problems. It's weird, you never really said too much about it before.**

 **Mataras: I didn't think it was necessary to talk about, but with how long I was gone for, I figured my readers were owed an explanation as to why. I didn't even tell them everything that happened to me health-wise in my apology letter.**

 **Gorun: Oh yeah? What else happened to you?**

 **Mataras: Cancer.**

 **Gorun: _What?_**

 **Mataras: Yep. In my back, right next to my spine. I've only just fully recovered from the surgery that they performed to cut it out.**

 **Gorun: Jeez, and you're already back and writing?**

 **Mataras: I owe a lot of people for leaving them hanging. I hope to make amends (at least partially) by giving this story my best. Thank you all for joining me again- and welcome to you if you are a new reader.**

 **Gorun: Wait, wait! Before we go, don't you have an important date coming up?**

 **Mataras: Mmh? Ah, yes! The one-year celebration of my YouTube channel's weekly podcasts is coming up soon, which we will be celebrating on Friday, April 27, 2018. It will be a two-hour-long podcast as opposed to the usual one, and will be consisting of a sort of writing seminar with myself and the rest of my crew. If you have any questions you'd like to have answered in regards to writing, please send me a message in advance so that I can have a ready answer for them on the show. We will be taking live questions, of course, but this helps us be a little more prepared.**

 **Gorun: And with that, I think we're done. When can we expect the next update?**

 **Mataras: Coming up next, on April 26- What we missed**

 **Gorun: Please enjoy the preview of what's to come!**

* * *

"Did he steal a time ring?" Trunks asked, paling.

"No, nothing to do with the flow of time, fortunately," the female Kai assured her friend. "However, the items in question are incredibly dangerous for him to have, especially given his heritage."

"Wait, what'd he steal that was so dangerous, if not a time ring?" Trunks asked.

* * *

 _Special thanks go to my supporters from the audience of NotYourAverageProductions._


	2. What We Missed

**A/N: I said April 26, and I meant it! I am not late! Okay, maybe a little late in the evening the day of, BUT! I have an excellent excuse. What's that, you say? Oh, just that I have a daughter as of Sunday morning, and I've been very busy and not sleeping. Any complaints? No?** **Didn't think so.**

 **Couple of quick announcements- first being that I've made an into video for this story on my YouTube channel, which you all can access from my profile page on this site. I know it's not the best one that I've put together, but it was made with sincerity, and I hope you enjoy. The other thing you can find on my channel (especially for if you left a review for the last chapter) I have a video of me reading and responding to each individual review as to answer questions, comments, or concerns about the story. I plan to do this for each chapter for this story, and maybe for some of the other ones, too.**

 **Now, enjoy the chapter, as was promised!**

 **P.S. TFS references inbound!**

 **OP Song: Peace Sign (cover) by Jonathan Young**

* * *

 _Prologue: Chapter 2_

 **What We Missed**

Time Nest Year 856

"He took… _what_?!" The Elder Kai was beyond livid. Trunks didn't think that in the whole scroll of eternity the elderly god had ever been recorded to be so furious.

"It appears that Gorun… well, raided your personal vault," Trunks told him while scratching his head nervously. "The insides were scorched, so we think he destroyed whatever he didn't take with him."

"How could you let this happen?!" Elder Kai demanded, practically spitting with fury. "I'd been collecting valuables in that for eons, you know!"

"If by 'valuables', you mean dirty magazines, I'm pretty sure that's what Gorun torched," the Supreme Kai of Time said with a badly concealed smirk. The smile faded as she added, "I'm afraid that his scroll revealed what he _did_ take, and two items in particular worry me."

"Did he steal a time ring?" Trunks asked, paling.

"No, nothing to do with the flow of time, fortunately," the female Kai assured her friend. "However, the items in question are incredibly dangerous for him to have, especially given his heritage."

"Wait, what'd he steal that was so dangerous, if not a time ring?" Trunks asked.

* * *

Magnolia Year X791

Gorun was whistling merrily to himself as he walked down the path that led to Fairy Tail's guild hall on the outskirts of town. The wind blowing through the warm summer day tousled his long black hair, both the bangs and his ponytail that he kept tied back.

He had let it grow out ever since he had found a new home in Fairy Tail, more than a year prior. These days he wore a set of dark blue jeans that he had altered to hide his tail better with a dark green shirt that he topped with a matching blue jacket. The color theme was reminiscent of his uniform that he had worn as a part of the Time Patrol, but he far preferred his new clothes- they were much more comfortable, and he never really saw the point of armor when his opponents could be capable of destroying planets.

He grinned to himself as he remembered the job he had just completed- and more importantly, the nice little payload that had come with it. The finances he had secured would hold him over for some time, even after he gave a portion to the guild to help with their financial deficit. He had made it part of his routine to donate extra to the guild's well-being since he could go on more dangerous and lucrative jobs that anyone else in the guild- jobs that payed more than enough for him to live comfortably in an apartment complex that sat near where Fairy Tail's original guild hall stood.

He loved his home- even though he hadn't been there long, relatively speaking, he had crammed a good deal of pleasant memories into the place. He knew that if he ever was forced to move, it would be a sad day indeed. His memories of the bachelor pad included a lot of shared conversations with Kinana over a delicious meal, and it was these remembrances that he treasured more than visits from other guild members.

 _I should actually ask her out sometime soon,_ he thought as he rose over the last small hill on the path. The girl was admittedly very attractive to him, not only because of her hourglass figure and wonderful cooking skills, but more so because of her gentle personality. Even though Gorun had come to know each of the other guild members quite well, she had become his closest companion in several regards- though he had not even told her the truth about where he came from.

Gorun had always been told that Saiyan men were attracted to strong-willed, stubborn women, so he supposed that stereotype didn't apply to him. This wasn't to say that Kinana was weak-willed, just that she preferred the quiet life. So for someone who had been trained for battle since the day he could walk- literally, Vegeta had been there to begin training him in flight as soon as he could stand on his own- the idea of being close to someone who preferred a peaceful existence was a welcome one.

 _Girls like her don't come along every day_ , he thought as he walked into the yard, where some of the chickens were feeding. He was just finishing this thought when he noticed that something in the picture didn't quite fit the image he was used to.

The doors were wide open to admit a scene that got his Saiyan blood boiling. Five men from Twilight Ogre were inside, kicking over the furniture, laughing at a downed Macao, making a vulgar pass at Laki, one of the female wizards, all while the rest of the dozen or so guild members looked on with helpless fury and humiliation.

Gorun recognized the leader of the group as Teedo, the man with the massive club that he had decked during his first day in Fiore. _I should have known this would happen when I took a job that lasted three weeks,_ he thought, angry with himself and the thugs. Twilight Ogre never sent their lackeys in if Gorun was in town, always waiting for him to leave so that they could terrorize the few members remaining without the threat of his wrath falling on them. On Macao's orders, Gorun had never attacked the bully's guild hall, and the guild continued to make payments to their debtors- it was the honorable thing to do, the guild master insisted.

Stepping into the guild hall, though, he could stand it no more. He raised his voice to carry clearly as he shouted, "I think that's enough, ogres!" The five men paused in what they were doing, looking to see who was interrupting their fun. Four of them laughed as they saw a teenaged boy standing in the doorway, looking angry. Even Teedo seemed amused, though he didn't openly laugh at the young man.

"I don't recall your guild receiving an invite from us," Gorun growled, his fists clenching in his pockets. "Get out now if you know what's good for you." As he spoke, his eyes roamed the room for Kinana, whom he saw tending to Macao. Her soft green eyes met his, and she nodded once to let him know that she was okay.

"Ha!" Now Teedo laughed as he walked up to Gorun, his club at the ready. The boy took note of the weapon, as well as his companions, before looking the man in the eye with great contempt. "I've been trainin' for this, you little punk," the offender said as he came within striking range. "Time to get payback for what's owed, right boys?" The others laughed darkly as they began to bunch up around the young warrior.

"That sounds like an excellent idea to me," Gorun agreed, smiling with all the charm of a Frost Demon. "I think we're all owed a little something here."

"Gorun, don't!" Macao protested as he sensed the boy's rising magic power. "You'll just make things worse!"

"Nothing is worse than watching those you care about taking a beating when you can do something about it," Gorun snapped. "These guys have stepped over the line, Master. And I _won't watch this ANYMORE_!" Energy blazed to life around him, giving the other men pause for a second as his magic power began to palpably shift and multiply.

"Hey boss?" said one of the thugs, perhaps a little smarter, or perhaps simply more fearful than the others. "I thought you said this guy don't use magic?" At this point, a bright red magic circle had appeared above Gorun's head, the light shining down on his raging face.

"So he learned a new trick, big deal," Teedo shrugged, trying to hide the fact that he was getting nervous- he remembered Gorun's blinding speed and wicked strength from before he had displayed an ability to use magic. If he really had learned to use it, he might be more of a challenge than he'd originally thought.

Still, there were five of them, and one of him- the rest of his guild was already beat by the looks of things. This kid might give them a few bruises, sure, but they could take him. They were Twilight Ogre for crying out loud! "Get 'im, boys!" he shouted, already swinging his club.

Gorun replied with a single word; " _Kaioken_." The red magic circle hovering above his head vanished, but the boy seemed to now be emitting the blazing red aura himself.

"Kaio-what?" The next thing Teedo knew, he and his boys were all outside of the guild hall, scattered like so much trash, most of them with broken ribs and something like vertigo.

The one responsible glared down at them with disgust from within that raging aura of his as he said, "Let this be known, Twilight Ogre. Anyone who harms Fairy Tail will be dealt with by my hand- harshly." He paused to make sure that the message had sunk in before he added, "Tell your boss as much."

"Th-The hell…?" One of the men, previously armed with a hammer, which was now lying inexplicably in pieces beside him, clutched at his ribs feebly as he groaned, "He's… not human…"

Under his breath, Gorun muttered, "You're not wrong." Speaking up, his eyes adopted a wicked gleam as he settled into a stance and said, "Time to clear out the trash, I think." Stretching out his right hand so that his palm faced the lot of them, he willed the energy to gather before he shouted, " _Big Bang Attack!_ " A deep blue magic circle spawned in front of him before it spat out a sphere the size of a bowling ball.

The resulting explosion sent the men flying all the way back to Magnolia, possibly right into their own guild hall through the roof. "Much better," Gorun smirked as he released the Kaioken.

"Dammit Gorun!" Macao shouted as he walked up to the boy, looking exasperated. "Now Twilight Ogre's gonna have it out for us!"

"They already had it out for us," Gorun said dismissively. "They only thought they'd get away with stuff if I wasn't around."

"I'm more worried about the crops!" Wakaba cried as he ran out into the dust-ridden yard. "You went overboard, Gorun!"

"I didn't harm the crops, don't worry," the boy said dismissively. He paused, then added, "Though we might have to fix the stairs." He gestured to the set of stone stairs that led up to the final stretch of the dirt path that ended at the entrance to the guild hall. Sure enough, some of the stones were missing, having been violently dislodged and hurled to places unknown.

"I'll get to it," Max grinned wearily. He was about to move to do the job when they all noticed an unusual shadow being cast from overhead.

"Okay… Everyone else sees the flying pirate ship with a horse's head, right?" Gorun asked as they all looked up to the source of the shadow. "It's not just me?"

"Unfortunately," Max said, sounding exasperated. "What's Blue Pegasus doing here?" When Gorun glanced a question at him, the sand mage explained, "That's Christina, the flagship of the Blue Pegasus guild. They were one of our allies in the fight against the Baram Alliance seven years ago, and they helped search for our guild mates longer than anyone else other than Lamia Scale." The Saiyan boy nodded his understanding now. He'd read about both of these guilds, even though he'd never had any personal contact with them.

"Blue Pegasus is the one with all the playboys, right?" he asked.

"That about sums it up, yeah," Warren, a telepathy mage said as he came to stand with the onlookers, along with Laki, Kinana, and the other wizards. "And I think I sense-"

"Hey, is that a troll?" Gorun asked as he pointed to a stocky figure who was standing at the bow of the airship, atop the white pegasus' head.

"Troll?!" a deep, silky voice called from where the figure stood, sounding highly affronted.

"Something like that," Macao sighed as the little man jumped from the airship, diving headfirst towards the ground, long reddish hair streaming behind him in stark contrast with his clean white suit.

Gorun watched him fall for a second then started to ask, "Should I catch-?" _Scrunch!_ The man's head connected with the pavement, putting a hole in the road that led to the guild hall. "…Guess not."

"Sorry to keep you waiting, man," the little figure said, apparently unfazed by the fall and resulting trauma to his skull as he struck a strange pose and pointed at Macao with both hands. "But Sir Ichiya… is at your service."

Gorun blinked once before asking, "The hell's with this guy?"

"Gorun, this is Ichiya, one of the S-class wizards of Blue Pegasus," Macao said by way of introduction. "Ichiya, this is Gorun, our newest recruit." He paused before asking, "So did you come alone or-"

"You know sir, there are better ways to travel than taking a swan dive," called a lighter, lazy voice from above. Gorun immediately took note of the three wizards descending in an air sphere, all of them with respectable power levels. Two of them were fair skinned with blond hair, though one was shorter and fairer than his comrade. The third was dark-skinned with black hair, styled in a similar manner to his own lengthy locks though Gorun's hair was definitely longer.

"Especially with my air magic," intoned the dark-skinned fellow in what could almost be described as a sultry voice. As they drew closer, Gorun recognized them from news articles as Blue Pegasus' poster boys, Ren, Eve, and Hibiki. All of them were noted to be skilled wizards, though they were more often featured in the tabloids for their frivolities involving the fairer sex.

The Saiyan decided to ignore them and focus on the troll-like man that was now twitching uncontrollably, an apparently delayed consequence to his foolish exit method. "D'ya want some ice?" he offered as the man lay there, shaking randomly.

Any further thoughts of hospitality were driven from his mind as he noticed that the three pegasus boys were gathered around Laki, each one offering what they seemed to think were compliments, but only making the girl uncomfortable as she stuttered and failed to come with a response for their advances. He felt his power level rising on reflex, and he didn't bother to stifle it.

"Did you seriously come all this way to hit on girls?!" Max asked, apparently unaware as to his comrade's building anger.

He was ignored as they moved on to Kinana, who was even shyer and less outspoken than the wood-make wizard. At this, Gorun could not contain himself. "Hands off of her, punks!" he shouted angrily as a red magic circle appeared above his head.

"Punks?" Hibiki sniffed. "How rude. We, as gentlemen, simply wish to provide this delicate-yet-gorgeous flower with all the attention and care that she deserves."

"Gentlemen, my monkey-tailed backside!" Gorun sputtered, confusing the onlookers a bit- it seemed an odd insult to them, but in the heat of his anger, he didn't notice. The red magic circle above his head flared brightly for a moment before two more, each one slightly larger than the one underneath it, appeared over his head. "Three-layered magic circle: _Kaioken!_ " This was, in essence, his way of tripling the effects of the Kaioken in this world. Now he appeared to be ablaze with red energy as he took a combat stance against the three young men, who looked slightly baffled by his behavior.

"That's enough, men!" Ichiya called out, surprising everyone present. "We're here on business, not pleasure!"

"Yes sir, sorry sir!" the three wizards called out in unison as they backed away from Kinana to stand behind their leader.

"Down boy," Macao said sternly to the indignant teenager who was still emitting an angry red aura. "These guys have my respect. I don't need you starting any more fights today." Gorun was tempted to argue that he hadn't even started the altercation with Twilight Ogre, but he knew from his experiences with the guild master that it would be a fruitless effort.

Reluctantly, he released the Kaioken once again, choosing instead to settle for grumbling angrily while he eyed the other young men with suspicion and distrust. Seeing that Fairy Tail's resident hothead had settled down, Macao finally breached the question that was on everyone's mind: "What brings Blue Pegasus all the way to Magnolia?"

"Man!" Ichiya exclaimed as he struck another bizarre pose. "I remember the sweet parfum of friendship that we once shared in standing against the Oracion Seis! It is because of this that we have come bearing tidings most glad!"

The members of Fairy Tail looked at one another, mixed expressions on their faces. However, if they could agree on one thing right then, it was that they could all do with some good news. "What's happened?" Wakaba asked, curious as he took the cigar out of his mouth.

"Part of it's to do with Christina and my archive magic, see," Hibiki explained as he stepped forward. "One of the ship's functions is to record ethernano levels whenever they go above what's considered the normal range. We've been noticing some interesting patterns lately, so when I extrapolated that data and combined it with certain facts uncovered by Archive, we came to an inescapable conclusion." He grinned lightly, and it seemed that there was genuine happiness in the expression now, not just a desire to show off his absurdly perfect teeth.

"Are you ready for this?" Ichiya asked as he pointed at Wakaba and Macao. "Tenrou Island still exists!"

Shocked silence followed his words, broken eventually by Gorun asking, "So are you saying it exists in smaller pieces? Cos last I checked, it was vaporized by a dragon!"

* * *

"You all sure have a lot of faith in that little troll guy," the young man said as he leaned lazily against the railing of Fairy Tail's boat. He, along with Max, Warren, Bisca, Alzack, Jet, and Droy, were following the instructions on a map given to them by said man. Accordingly, they had taken to sailing towards the place where Tenrou Island had supposedly been. "Especially considering how he basically told us, 'sail in this direction until something happens!' Seriously, how much faith do you have that this is going to pan out well?!"

"Not much," Max admitted.

"Same," Warren nodded.

"We don't like the odds, but it's not like we can ignore this," Bisca said as she lowered her binoculars. "They would've done the same for us."

"Somebody might wanna tell those two that," Gorun said flatly, jerking his thumb at Jet and Droy, who were practically dancing at the thought of seeing their team leader again. He turned a baleful eye on them as he muttered, "They are going to be very disappointed if they keep that up."

"You're usually more upbeat and optimistic about these kinds of things," Alzack said as he walked over to stand beside his younger comrade. "What's biting ya?"

Gorun shrugged before muttering, "I just don't think those Blue Pegasus guys are reliable, okay? They seemed way more into flashing their pretty boy smiles than helping us find your friends. They didn't even offer to come with us, you know? How do we know this isn't a wild goose chase?"

"Despite their appearances, those guys are capable wizards, and they'd never give us a lead unless they thought it was worth following," Alzack told him. He sensed that there was more to the boy's animosity towards the playboy guild than him doubting their Intel, but he decided to keep quiet on that front. "Their guild master and Master Makarov were good friends, so I'm sure they want him back almost as much as we do."

"Plus, Hibiki mentioned that the island is only supposed to be discoverable to people that have the Fairy Tail mark, or that have been there before when they were part of the guild," Max said as he peered at the map Ichiya had given them. "I remember Master Makarov saying something similar, but since I never qualified for the S-class trials, I never really paid much attention to it."

"The place is like our guild's sacred ground, right?" Gorun asked.

"Yeah," Warren nodded, his pointer and middle fingers touching his temple while he frowned in concentration. Seeing the look, Max asked him if he was having any luck making contact, to which the telepath shook his head in the negative. "I can't sense anyone out here but us," he said.

"I think your telepathy needs a tune-up," Gorun said as he peered hard at the horizon.

"Whaddya mean?" Warren asked, sounding insulted.

"Take a look," the boy said as he pointed past the bow of the ship. The others followed his direction, and were more than little surprised when they saw what looked like a small figure, apparently hovering over the water's surface.

"That's… weird," Max finally said. "Are they actually standing on the water?"

"It looks like a little girl," Bisca said, having taken a look through her binoculars again.

"I should be able to sense them from here, but I got nothing," Warren frowned. "Maybe she's an illusion?"

"Has anyone else noticed that the wind has stopped?" Bisca asked as she looked up at the sail with Fairy Tail's insignia. Sure enough, the massive canvas, only moments ago having been filled with wind, now sagged heavily from the mast.

"This is certainly strange, but… ah," Gorun grinned as he stared intently at the figure. "Now I get it."

"Get what?" Max asked, feeling supremely confused as to just what was going on right now.

"That's a person out there all right- I can sense her energy, though it's pretty faint, which is pretty telling about her status," he said casually.

"Status?" Alzack repeated.

"She's incorporeal," Gorun said matter-of-factly. "You know- a ghost."

"A ghost?!" everyone else shouted in shock. Max managed to add, "You mean she's…"

"Dead?" Gorun nodded. "Oh yeah. I've sensed enough spirits' energy among the living to know when they're there. Her presence is faint, but she's strong, too. It's almost like- whoa!" He was cut off as the water behind the girl began to stir violently and glow with golden light. Even by Gorun's standards, there was a huge amount of energy erupting from the sea, taking shape in the form of a massive golden dome. Emblazoned on the mass of energy was the symbol of Fairy Tail, further decorated by the image of two gargantuan wings on either side of the symbol.

"Do dead people usually do _that_ where you come from?!" Max shouted incredulously to be heard over the rushing waves that were racing away from the disturbance.

"This is actually a first for me!" Gorun admitted. Fortunately, the violent churning of the seas did not last long, though when the shimmering energy dissipated, the crew of the ship were greeted with an equally spectacular sight. A gargantuan tree, easily the size of Porunga, was now towering over them from an island that had appeared from out of nowhere.

"That's gotta be Tenrou Island!" Alzack shouted to be heard above the crashing waves.

"No really?!" Gorun called back. "I thought for a second it was a sandstorm!"

" _Sarcasm's not helping_!" Warren shouted in his head.

It took a few moments, but eventually the sea surrounding the island had settled enough for the crew to get the ship under control and begin making their way toward the spit of land, even as the massive energy dome faded from existence. As they began making their way to the sacred grounds of Fairy Tail, Gorun noticed that the ghost from earlier was slowly making her way across the water, just with enough speed for her to stay in their sights.

 _Just who are you?_ He wondered. _A fairy, perhaps?_ He knew the old legend that told of Fairy Tail's original purpose- to discover if fairies, in fact, did have tails. The beings themselves were spoken of often in this world's folklore, but no one really seemed to think they existed. Then again, islands weren't supposed to simply vanish for seven years without a trace, only to magically reappear- even in a world that relied heavily on magic.

Gorun grinned as he felt the familiar thrill of an impending adventure. _This world is awesome,_ he thought.

Unfortunately, Max had to ruin the moment by saying, "Guess you owe Blue Pegasus an apology for doubtin' 'em, huh?"

Gorun turned slowly to look at his comrade for a long, long moment. Eventually, he said, "You've seen what my Kamehameha can do to people, right?"

* * *

They made landfall quickly enough for Max to avoid getting reminded _exactly_ what happened when Gorun's favored attack spell came in direct contact with a human body. The group quickly focused on running after the girl, who was now disappearing over the edge of a stony rise on the beach.

"Don't lose her!" Alzack called out as they chased after the ghost. Now that they were gaining on her somewhat, they could all see that she was a short girl with massive amounts of blonde hair that rippled all the way down to her ankles. Her body was clothed in a flowing white dress with splashes of pink and blue. They couldn't see her face since she had her back to them, but something about her seemed to indicate that she was very young.

Now she was heading into the trees that made up the island's forest area, and while the distance she had put between herself and them was decreasing, there was no way they would be able to spot her if she lost them in the woods. Well, Gorun could always sense her energy, but it was more of a chore to detect dead people than living ones, and he really didn't feel like wasting that kind of time.

"Gorun, Jet, go!" Max shouted. The two of them needed no further invitation. Jet kicked in his high-speed magic while Gorun took flight, accelerating enough to effortlessly match his guild mates' new pace.

Despite this, as soon as they hit the tree line, they lost sight of the ghost. Gorun swore angrily as he started sensing for her energy, then was surprised as he encountered several middling power levels, as well as three larger ones. There was actually one close enough that it made him pause in mid-flight, causing Jet to do the same just before he made a right turn that would lead him deeper into the forest.

"Well, would you look at that?" Gorun muttered as he felt his feet touch the ground. The sight of a young man with pink hair lying half-buried in the dirt had drawn the comment out of him.

"Guys!" they heard Max calling out. "Did you find anything?!"

"It's Natsu!" Jet called back. "We found him!"

Gorun was already moving, bounding over to land next to Natsu and grabbing his shoulder. "Hey!" he said loudly, noticing that the boy was unconscious. "Wake up!"

" _AAAARGH!_ " Natsu screamed angrily as he sat up suddenly. "Lemme sleep, jerk!"

"He's okay!" Gorun called to the others. Then, noticing the thick bandages that covered multiple wounds, he added, "Actually, he's less than okay!"

" _Is he alive_?!" Warren asked worriedly. " _If he is, we'll take it!_ "

"Setting you standards kinda low, aren't you?" Gorun asked as everyone finally caught up to them.

" _NATSU!_ " Max, Jet, and Droy all cried out as they tackled the dragon slayer.

" _OW!_ " he screamed. Shoving them all away, even as Jet and Droy started crying from happiness, he growled, "Would ya mind tellin' me what's goin' on?! Why are you guys on the island?!" His eyes bugged as he took in his comrades' appearance, adding, "Why do you look so much older?! And Droy… why are you so fat?!"

"Ugh… Is it morning already?" a quieter, sleepy voice mumbled. "Can I have some fish for breakfast?" Gorun noticed the speaker immediately, a small blue-and-white cat.

" _Happy!_ " Bisca and Alzack exclaimed as they went to dig the little feline out from the dirt.

 _Huh,_ Gorun thought, bemused. _So they have talking cats here, too. Cool!_

"I don't understand!" The Saiyan boy noticed Natsu, now on his knees, hands clutching his head. "It felt like we were just hit by Acnologia's attack! But now… I'm so confused!" Suddenly, a look of horror passed over his face as he exclaimed, "Wait a sec! Where's everyone else?!"

"That way," Gorun said as he pointed.

However, at the same time he spoke up, so did another. "They're over here." Everyone turned to see the ghost from earlier, the young girl, whom they could now clearly see had large green eyes. Her voice was gentle, serene even, yet carried clearly to every one of them.

Natsu and Happy looked at her, then at Gorun, then the ghost, then the boy again. They repeated this motion several times before they asked, "Who're you?"

The girl and Gorun looked at one another before the boy said, "Please, you first. I'm curious about that part, too."

The little girl smiled brightly and said, "I'm Mavis Vermillion- Fairy Tail's first master." Everyone around Gorun reacted with shock, and a tinge of fear.

The teenaged warrior, on the other hand, was grinning broadly. "I knew this guild was gonna be awesome," he chuckled. "I mean, how many other guilds have a guild master that'll actually kick open their own casket?"

"Aye sir!" the blue cat saluted.

"Name's Gorun," the boy said, before Natsu could ask him who he was again. "I'm Fairy Tail's newest member."

Natsu looked him up and down, almost as if appraising him before saying, "Prove it- where's you guild mark?"

"We wouldn't have brought him if he wasn't a member!" Max shouted. "Give us some credit, Natsu!"

"Nah, it's all right," Gorun said as he rolled his right sleeve further up his arm to expose the emerald-colored emblem of Fairy Tail resting there. "Look right?"

"Awesome!" Natsu grinned as he shot to his feet. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Gary!"

"Gorun," the other teenager said with a slight frown. "How could you possibly get my name wrong after just hearing- you know what? Never mind. I used to know someone who would have done exactly that if he hadn't known me from birth."

"Er-hem." Mavis coughed to get their attention. "Should we go wake the others?"

"Yeah!" Jet and Droy exclaimed, all too eager to follow Mavis to the others now.

* * *

They found the others, all relatively unharmed, scattered within a half-mile radius. Gorun made sure to register each person's name to their face as he was introduced. When he was introduced to Makarov, the guild master from seven years ago, he was slightly surprised to note that the elderly man had one of the three highest power levels in the group. Often his guild mates had spoken of Makarov's gentility, wisdom, but rarely of his prowess in battle, though the boy had suspected the man to be very strong based on scattered readings of the guild's history. However, the power he sensed housed within the man rivaled his own, though if it came down to it, Gorun was confident that he was the stronger of the two of them.

A young man named Laxus was practically ablaze with energy, enough so that Gorun did a double-take when evaluating his power level. _Even if I were to fight him as a Super Saiyan, this guy might have it in him to match me,_ he thought as he looked the blond man up and down. Laxus noticed him staring, but failed to comment, instead choosing to focus on the ghostly guild master as she moved to address them all.

"When the dragon attacked, I was able to convert the bond between all of you into pure magic power," she said with a gentle smile. "The bond was so strong that it activated Fairy Sphere, one of the three Grand Magic spells of our guild." She glowed softly as she added, "It is an absolute defense mechanism, designed to shield the guild from all manner of harm. Those inside of the energy field were put into a kind of stasis, preventing them from aging. Though it has been seven long years to the outside world, the spell has finally been lifted."

"My word!" Makarov said with a joyous smile on his battered face. "To think that we were saved by our guild's founding master!"

"No, no," Mavis said with a shake of her head as she began to float upward and glow brighter. "I am incorporeal. I simply used what little energy I had left to activate the spell with the energy you all provided. It was your love and faith in one another that called forth this miracle." Looking at Makarov directly, she beamed as she added, "I'm so proud of the guild you've created. They're wonderful!" The old man looked as though he could die happily right then and there. Even as he smiled back at her, the little girl floated upward and disappeared.

"Well, that was a surprise," a deep, lazy-sounding voice said from beside Gorun. The teenage Saiyan turned to look at a man slightly taller than him with broad muscles, orange hair, a metal arm and wooden leg. As was his habit, Gorun attuned his senses to lock onto the man's power level, and what he found shocked him. The man held a monstrous amount of energy, almost more than the rest of the formerly missing guild members combined. This man, he knew, would require an ascension to Super Saiyan Two to bring down.

While Gorun had no trouble unleashing the power of his Super Saiyan form these days, he didn't have very many opportunities to practice with it, and by extension, no chances to push himself past his current limit. Even within Fairy Tail, he kept the transformation a secret, entrusting it only to three people; Macao and Wakaba, because they needed to know his full range of capabilities, and Kinana, because he trusted her. Another reason was likely because he wanted to show off, but he would never admit that to anyone.

It had been so long since he'd run across any beings with a power level that rivaled his own that it was almost like a wake-up call. _Since when did I become so complacent in raising my power?!_ He wondered, startled. He sighed a little bit as the answer came to him. _Ever since I got here._ Maintaining his power level had been little enough of a problem with a healthy diet and exercise. _Increasing_ his power would require hardcore training, something he had not subjugated himself to since coming to Fiore. He had begun to take his vast amounts of raw power and talent for granted.

 _That settles it,_ he vowed. _As soon as I get home, I'm taking a break from jobs to train until I reach Super Saiyan Two so I can match this man._ He had grown quite used to being Fairy Tail's strongest wizard, and he wasn't going to give up the position without a fight. The Saiyan blood in his veins was practically humming with excitement as he thought of the day when he would be able to match this man standing beside him.

Turning to face him, he said, "Hello there. My name is Gorun."

"Gildarts," the man said with a friendly smile as they shook hands. "I don't remember seeing you around the guild hall when we left. You a new recruit?"

"Pretty much the only one since you guys vanished, apparently," the teenager grinned ruefully. "I joined about a year and a half ago, and the people that are left keep saying that you guys were there during the glory days. Maybe now we'll get to them come back, huh?"

"Well, with a kid like you, we just might make that happen," Gildarts chuckled. "You got some real powerful magic, don't ya?"

"I've been told that," Gorun grinned wider. "Care for a demonstration on the way home?"

"I'd love to see what you've got, and I'm sure Makarov will, too," the middle-aged man grinned back. "Heh. You're kind of like a calmer Natsu, now that I think about it."

"The guy with the pink hair?" Gorun asked.

"He _loves_ fighting," Gildarts laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't take a swing at ya on the way home."

"If he does," Gorun smirked while cracking his knuckles, "he'll need a new set of bandages when I'm done with him."

"Oh, I don't know," Gildarts said knowingly. "Natsu has a tendency to surprise people, especially when he's backed into a corner."

Outwardly, the teenaged warrior said nothing. Inwardly, he thought, _And we Saiyans physically become stronger every time we find ourselves in a jam. I wonder if this Natsu character can match the tenacity of my bloodline, if we were to fight?_

"By the way…" Gildarts said with a decidedly goofy grin. "Mind if I introduce you to my daughter?" Without waiting for an answer, the man grabbed Gorun by the wrist and dragged him up to bring him face-to-face with an attractive purple-eyed brunette that was wearing a shade less clothing than the young Saiyan was comfortable with. He almost said something about it, but then remembered Gildarts' power level, and decided that any negative comments about his daughter- who was being introduced as 'Cana'- should be kept to himself.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent getting to know the various members of the guild that had vanished during the S-class trials seven years ago. Each of the people that had been trapped in stasis were curious about the friendly, powerful new member of the guild. He was happy to share his experiences of being a part of Fairy Tail, but as usual, he spoke little of his past before joining the guild.

He, in turn, was fascinated by the various magics used by the lost members of the guild, in particular the wizards that practiced Dragon Slayer Magic. In each of them he sensed an undeveloped potential, akin to a saiyan that had never released their golden aura. Not to mention that their base magic power levels had leagues to advance, though he said nothing on the matter for the time being.

The boys in the group, he found, were mostly competitive and eager to get into a brawl, even with their injuries, the exceptions being Laxus and a green-haired man named Freed. The girls mostly looked on while the boys fought each other, occasionally making the odd remark or two. One of them in particular, a blue-haired water mage named Juvia, endlessly cheered on an ice wizard named Gray as he traded blows with Natsu, though he didn't seem to enjoy the attention.

As the brawl on deck continued, Gorun briefly considered joining in, then decided against it. An accidental ki blast could very well sink the ship, and he did _not_ feel like flying everyone back to the mainland. He could use instant transmission on himself, but he had never gotten the hang of transporting other people along with him, something that frustrated him a great deal. It would be a great advantage in battle to retreat for a moment, only to come back seconds later with reinforcements. _I should have visited Yardrat with Dad when he offered to take me that one time,_ he sulked.

"Why the long face, pal?" Gildarts asked him, watching the others fight with something that looked like pride. "Don't you wanna jump in and show 'em what you got?"

"Honestly, yeah, I would," Gorun chuckled lightly. "I just don't think that the boat would live to see us back to shore if I did."

"Oh, so you have an issue controlling your magic too, huh?" the older man nodded. "I thought I was sensing some pretty respectable magical pressure from you earlier."

Gorun's smirk turned into a proud grin. "The level I'm at right now is nothing," he said. "One of my spells lets me amplify my magic power up to ten times its base strength." He didn't mention that his Super Saiyan form could take his power level well beyond the limit of the Kaioken.

"So you can manipulate your own strength, is that your magic?" Gildarts asked curiously.

"Sort of," Gorun shrugged. "I call it 'ki magic'. It lets me control not only the raw energy in my body to amplify my martial skills, but I can also project the ethernano inside of me to create pure etherion blasts."

Gildarts whistled, suitably impressed. He'd never met anyone that could manipulate the magic particles themselves, and he'd seen a lot of crazy things in his lifetime. "My crasher magic seems kinda lame compared to that," he laughed, rubbing his head.

"Oh, I've read about that," Gorun said as he clicked his fingers. "Your magic breaks down anything you come into contact with into little pieces, right?"

"Smart kid," the older mage nodded. "Plus side is that I've developed it so that if it hits a person, it'll just turn them into bunches of smaller versions of themselves- ask Natsu if you don't believe me. I accidentally did it to him one time."

"So did you get carried away, or did he?" Gorun smirked.

"Both," Gildarts admitted. "It happens a lot in this guild- especially around Natsu. And me. And Laxus. And-"

"I get it," Gorun assured him. Gildarts just laughed again.

* * *

Later in the journey home, when they could make out the shoreline of Fiore's mainland, Gorun was approached by Cana as he leaned on the railing to stare back out at the ocean behind them. "Hey, sorry if my dad was pestering you back there," she said as she stood beside him.

"No problem," Gorun replied, glancing over at her, then immediately looking away. Her lack of full clothing still bothered him, but he had been reluctant to comment on it when her father was nearby- he didn't want to criticize her and then be pulverized for it. Trying to ignore his discomfort, he kept staring at the water and added, "We were just discussing our magics, that's all."

"He didn't talk about me?" Cana asked, an unidentifiable tone in her voice.

"Well, not really," Gorun said, after thinking about it for a moment. Before he could stop himself, he added, "Honestly, I'm surprised. He seemed eager to introduce you earlier, so I figured he'd be the kind of dad that goes on about his kids."

Cana sighed heavily in response as she muttered, "Well, half the guild knows, so I might as well tell you that he didn't know that he was my dad until yesterday- er, seven years ago? Damn time-stopper sphere…" She seemed to be sulking, but without looking directly at the girl, it was hard to tell.

"How come?" he asked her, curious.

"He and my mom split before I was born, so he didn't even know I existed until I found him in the guild," Cana replied flatly. "Then it took me more than decade to tell him the truth. He reacted a little more… enthusiastically than I thought he would- he hasn't shut up about it to the others." Gorun chanced a look over his shoulder to see Gildarts in an animated discussion with Alzack and Bisca, whose jaws had hit the deck.

"Well, at least he's happy about it," the Saiyan hybrid shrugged, going back to staring at the waves. Discussing missing parents was bringing up memories of his, and he couldn't say that he didn't miss them. Still… "This is what you wanted, right? A relationship with your father? Why else would you have told him?"

"I dunno, I…" Cana paused. "Okay, I can't do this anymore. Why aren't you looking at me?" Her voice had an unexpected hostility in it when she asked the last part.

"Eh?" he asked, though he still refused to meet her gaze.

"This whole time that I've been talking to you, all you've looked at is my dad, or the water," she fumed. "What gives? Most guys can't take their eyes off me."

"I'm not most guys," Gorun muttered thinly. His opinion of Gildarts' daughter was deteriorating quickly. She seemed a rather vain individual. _Maybe that's whys she feels the need to show off?_

"What, do you bat for the other team?" Cana asked.

"Oh _hell_ no," the young warrior said with a negative shake of his head. "No way."

"Then why won't you look at me while I'm talking to you?" she demanded. "Pretty rude, ignoring a cute girl like me while she's trying to make conversation."

"I wasn't aware that Fairy Tail wizards placed a whole lot of emphasis on being polite," Gorun sniggered. "And to be honest, I don't care very much for your taste in clothes. They do you a big disservice."

"Oh… I get it," she laughed. "You're one of those old-fashioned kinds like Freed that gets all hot under the collar when a girl shows some skin. You actually like what you see, but you're too embarrassed to look, right?" Her tone had become slightly… suggestive.

"If you want to see it that way," Gorun said indifferently. "But I prefer to stick to my original statement- that wardrobe does you a major disservice. You'd be much better off wearing something more… let's go with 'conservative."

"Why would I do that?" Cana laughed again. "What guy's gonna wanna take me out for the night if I don't do the right kind of advertising?"

"Maybe one that would be willing to walk you home from the bar and ask for a second date instead of asking for what's in your pants," Gorun said stiffly. "But if all you want out of life is booze and meaningless, mindless encounters, by all means, keep dressing like that's all you're good for."

He ducked the slap that she tried to deal him with inhuman speed, rolled forward, and then sprang into flight, landing quickly up on the lookout's nest. From up there, he looked down at her briefly and shouted, "One more piece of advice- don't try to push away the truth! It tends to come back around eventually and whack you in your blind spot." Then he retreated, a magic card slicing through the air where his head had been a moment prior.

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time they made it back to the guild hall. Gorun spent the time avoiding Cana, busying himself by making conversation with the other members that he had yet to spend any time with. As a Saiyan, it was in his nature to be confrontational, so the fact that he was avoiding a fight was anathema to him. However, his human nature also knew that while he could easily destroy Cana in a fight, beating her up would only invite Gildarts' wrath, which he had no desire to face- not yet, anyway.

Despite her animosity towards him, the crash mage seemed to hold no ill will toward the young warrior, still chatting with him easily whenever the opportunity presented itself, though he mostly encouraged Gorun to interact with the younger generation. The monkey-tailed boy did so readily, enjoying the newly grown camaraderie that he had found in the other guild members that he had heard a great deal about.

He and Natsu quickly made a deal to spar at the soonest opportunity- the pink-haired dragon slayer's addiction to combat could have rivaled Goku's, but Gorun didn't mind. Natsu had a great deal of unearthed potential, and he was interested to see just how strong the other boy could become.

Gray was another individual he enjoyed getting to know, though in a different way. While Natsu was hyper and confrontational, the ice wizard was relaxed and polite- unless his fiery rival spent any length of time around him. Like Natsu, Gorun sensed an untapped potential in the boy, though the nature of the power was very different.

The two of them were a part of 'Team Natsu', he found out, along with Happy, a talented celestial mage named Lucy, another dragon slayer called Wendy, her exceed, Carla, and even an S-class requip wizard named Erza.

The red-haired sword maiden caught Gorun's attention for a few reasons. One, he'd seen requip magic in action, and had considered learning some of the basics of it, but he knew that it was an advanced magic that was better practiced under supervision. Bisca used the same power to interchange her rifles, but Gorun wasn't interested in changing weapons- he wanted to use it on combat gear, and apparently the methods were different enough that Bisca couldn't help him learn. Now he might be able to figure it out, providing that Erza would be willing to teach him.

The other thing about her that caught his interest was her strength- not her magical strength, for even though it was above average, it was nothing compared to Laxus, Makarov, and Gildarts. No, her strength of character caught his eye in the way that she carried herself among the others, with eyes like steel that never hesitated, never wavered. _She kind of reminds me of Grandma Chichi when she's mad_ , he thought to himself as he watched her knock out Gray and Natsu by smashing their skulls together. The others seemed to respect and fear her, and not without good reason.

There were others he took time to introduce himself to; there was Levy, the blue-haired bookworm and long-lost leader of Team ShadowGear, which Jet and Droy belonged to. There was Gajeel, the punk-attitude Iron Dragon Slayer and his exceed partner, Pantherlily. There was the trio of wizards that made up the Thunder Legion, and finally, the white-haired, blue-eyed Strauss siblings. Something about the voice of the brother, Elfman, sounded very familiar to Gorun, but he couldn't quite place it.

All in all, the time was spent so that when they reached the doors of their home, Gorun was slightly startled to see that the sun was beginning to set. Natsu- in what Gorun guessed was his typical fashion- kicked open the doors and shouted with a gigantic smile, "Look whose back!"

He was greeted with dropped jaws and wide eyes as the rest of the group filed in behind him. Happy floated in on glowing wings as added, "Sorry to keep you all waiting for so long!"

"N-No way!" Macao shouted, looking like he was trying to convince himself that it wasn't a dream. The others were a little faster in accepting, with the few members that has stayed behind rushing forward, eager to hear what had transpired.

"You look so young!" exclaimed Laki.

"It's like you haven't aged a day in seven years!" Nab cried, tears running down his face.

"Tell us what happened!" Vijeeter shouted.

"Umm, well…" Lucy began.

* * *

"…and that about sums it up," Makarov concluded from where he sat on one of the dining hall tables, having just concluded the tale of Tenrou Island's apparent destruction and subsequent return. Off to the side, Romeo seemed to be talking to Natsu, crying happily at the sight of his idol returned alive and well.

Already, Kinana was breaking out the drinks and preparing for a lot of food to be ordered as the others began to break into smaller groups to enjoy the reunion. The eldest Strauss sibling, Mirajane, moved behind the counter with a bright smile and offered to help the purple-haired girl.

Gorun nearly caught himself staring at the barmaid in the green dress when Natsu threw his arm around his new friend and said loudly, "Wait 'till ya try Mira's cooking! Hoo man, it's to die for!"

"I dunno," he said, making sure his voice was loud enough to carry over to the bar. "Kinana has set the bar pretty high- Mira's gonna have to work pretty hard to match her skill." He grinned at his friend, causing her to flush a little bit and smile back at him shyly.

 _Yeah,_ he thought with a happy smile. _I need to ask her out- really soon._

Natsu, however, had completely missed the silent exchange in favor of hearing one thing, it seemed. "Cook off!" he shouted gleefully. "Fairy Tail's having a cook off reunion party!"

"Always count on Natsu to bring up the food," Lucy sighed, but she couldn't help the grin on her face.

"Hey, food is a wonderful thing," Gorun grinned easily at the blond. "I know Kinana's cooking is the highlight of my day."

"Is it the cooking or the chef that brightens things up for ya?" Lucy asked him with a mischievous grin.

"Both," Gorun laughed. Around them, the party was already underway, with seven years' worth of waiting finally coming to a close for the wounded guild. Even though Gorun hadn't been a part of the guild for as long as the others, he felt more at home in this vibrant atmosphere than he ever had in his life.

* * *

 **Closing Song: On My Way by Phil Collins**

 **Gorun: Question.**

 **Mataras: Good question or bad question?**

 **Gorun: What? It's just a question!**

 **Mataras: You just seem a little... testy.**

 **Gorun: Hello, author, there's a friend I'd like you to meet. Last name Sherlock, first name No sh-**

 **Mataras: Question is?**

 **Gorun: Why'd you throw me into that situation with Cana? You know it makes me uncomfortable!**

 **Mataras: Because Cana annoys me when she's being vain, and I wanted to take her down a peg.**

 **Gorun: She is going to hate me! And by proxy, she will make my life more miserable!**

 **Mataras: Kamehameha?**

 **Gorun: _I am NOT going to blast her into the stratosphere because she's annoying!_**

 **Mataras: Hey if you did, she wouldn't bother you anymore.**

 **Gorun: Gildarts.**

 **Mataras: Fair enough.**

 **Gorun: Is there _any_ point to this omake?**

 **Mataras: Not really, it's just therapeutic for me- gives me a good chuckle.**

 **Gorun: So having a laugh at my expense is good for you?**

 **Mataras: Hey, I'm in this just as much as you are.**

 **Gorun: That's it, I'm out! See you all next month!**

 **Mataras: ... Hehe, he's so easy. Next time- Party Time**

* * *

 **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**

"I'll teach you!" the white-haired girl said happily, grabbing his hands and hauling him off to an area near Natsu and- surprisingly, Erza had switched out with Lucy while sporting a sky blue dress- before giving him a small curtsey. "Usually, it's polite for the gentleman to ask a lady for a dance," Mira continued. "But I'll let it slide this time since you're new to the whole dancing thing."

"I-"

"Now, hands go here and here, don't be shy," Mirajane chattered, overriding his protests as she placed his left hand in her right and his right hand just above her right hip. She quickly placed her own hands in their appropriated places and added, "Usually the man takes the lead, but since you haven't done this before, I'll help you along."

"You-"

"Here we go, let's set a nice, easy rhythm…" she continued, either ignoring or not catching his attempted protests. "One and two and three and four… One and two and three and four… Come on, don't drag your feet!" As it was, Gorun had no choice but to comply with the overeager Mira's orders, forcing his feet to mirror hers and follow the pace she had set.


	3. Party Time

**A/N: Hello, everyone! Kind of a fast update, huh? Is there a special reason for it? Why, yes there is. Last week was the one year anniversary for my YouTube channel's weekly podcasts, as well as the week we hit one hundred videos! To celebrate, my crew and I will be releasing two videos on the afternoon of May 4, 2018 (provided all goes well), one of which will be a writing seminar run by myself and my crew. The other will be a gaming livestream where you can shoot me questions and I will answer to the best of my ability whilst likely making an idiot out of myself in-game. I hope that this appeals to at least a few of you, because we love to have new guests pop in!**

 **Also, I have a video on the same channel (and there is a link to said channel on my profile page) that answers questions, comments, and concerns from reviews on chapter one. The next one will consist of answering to reviews from both chapter two and three of this story. If you have left a review on this story, go watch the video! Also, since Cy Man didn't seem to watch it, I'll just say if you don't like the omakes, don't read them. I like them. There are staying. As for Cana, I have a long-term plan. All I'll say about that right now.**

 **Another video to watch? The intro that I made for this story, which you should now enjoy!**

 **OP Song: Innocence (cover by Amalee)**

 **P.S. Absurd amounts of fluff in this chapter, but if that's not your thing, no worries. This is the 'worst' it will get, and there'll be plenty of action to accompany it.**

* * *

 _Prologue: Chapter 3_

 **Party Time**

The party celebrating the return of the Tenrou Team lasted for a full day. The evening that Natsu and the others returned went by in a hurry, quickly heralding the dawn of the next day, but hardly anyone inside the small guild hall noticed. They all kept eating, drinking, and talking, some of them breaking down and taking a nap every now and again, but the party truly did not stop, even as the day wore on into the following afternoon.

Through it all, Gorun was there with his new friends, laughing and smiling, happy to see their broken family mending. In all his time with Fairy Tail, he'd never seen Macao's son smile, nor seen a hint of joy in Reedus' artwork. It was as though life and color had been breathed into the guild hall for the first time, and it was a novel experience for the young Saiyan warrior.

He was laughing to himself, having just pulled a weeping Erza off of Max- apparently she was upset that she had not been present for Bisca and Alzack's wedding- when he noticed Makarov chatting quietly with Kinana as she was cleaning some glasses.

"It looks like the last seven years have treated you well, Kinana," the old man said kindly.

"That's so sweet of you," the purple-haired girl smiled back. "Thank you, Master."

 _Ask her out!_ A voice in his head screamed. _Not right this second!_ He thought furiously, squelching the thought before it took hold of his actions.

"So tell me, have any of your memories returned?" Makarov asked her, setting his mug down on the counter, and causing Kinana to pause in her task.

"No," she said softly. "Not so far. Although…" She hesitated for a moment.

 _That's right, Makarov was the one that lifted that curse off of her,_ Gorun remembered, his smile fading as he gazed at his friend sadly. He knew how much she wanted to recall who she had been before being that snake, and to have so long pass without any apparent progress had to be frustrating and discouraging.

"Sometimes, when I dream, I think I hear someone," she admitted. "They always say the same thing; 'Let me hear your voice'. They seem so familiar and gentle… and it's almost as though I know them…" She fell silent, even as Makarov and Macao exchanged a somber look.

Gorun always felt something stir in his chest whenever Kinana mentioned hearing this voice in her dreams. Sometimes he thought it might be fear he was feeling- after all, if she were to suddenly remember who she had been, what would stop her from leaving Fairy Tail? Leaving him? He didn't want to lose her.

Thinking on that, he was about to open his mouth to speak to her when the door swung open, and they all turned to see five figures stepping through the entrance. All of them were strong, Gorun could tell, but one man in particular seemed to possess just as much power as Laxus, if not more so. _He might even be as strong as Gildarts,_ Gorun thought as he rose from his seat, tensing up slightly. If these people were from Twilight Ogre, things were possibly about to get very dicey.

"Can we help you?" he asked, his tone guarded.

"So, the rumors were true," a deep, rumbling voice said as the new group passed through the doors.

"Who're these bozos?" Elfman asked.

"I think I know," his elder sibling said as the five newcomers stepped into the light.

"Hello my lovelies!" an attractive young woman with bright pink hair called out as she waved at the fairies. "I'm glad to hear that your deaths were exaggerated!" Gorun made a face at her attire- she wasn't showing as much as Cana, but her outfit still left little of the improper areas to the imagination.

A man that looked like he'd botched a transformation into a dog let out a strange howling sound of what Gorun assumed was happiness- he was smiling, anyway. _I think…_

"You all appear to be in great health!" the first speaker, a mountain of a man with a long dark beard said as he beamed at the Tenrou Island survivors. Gorun didn't smile back- his eyebrows were raised as he recognized this man as the one with the power level that rivaled Gildarts'. _Are people with his level of strength just going to start coming out of the woodworks?!_

Another of his companions, a short man with long blue hair kept in a braid and ridiculously thick eyebrows, grinned as he said, "The sentiment's a little redundant when they haven't aged in seven years."

The final speaker was the one who led the group into the room. He was a young man of average height with silvery-snow colored hair. His expression was a bemused one, as if he had expected to walk in on them acting no other way. "Amazing," he remarked with a wry grin. "You've barely been back two days, and you've already trashed the place." Gorun cocked his head at the last speaker with interest- something about his energy seemed vaguely familiar…

"Oh wow, it's Lamia Scale!" Lucy announced, surprised.

Max moved with a ready smile to shake hands with the white-haired man to welcome him. "Glad to see you guys," he said before looking at the Tenrou Team. "Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus helped search for you guys longer than anyone else would."

"In that case, I guess we owe ya one, Lyon," Gray said as he moved to stand closer to the newcomers. Gorun finally relaxed as he realized that these people were not here to attack them.

The white-haired man- Lyon, Gorun realized- shrugged a bit and seemed to be containing a laugh. "I'd love to take you up on that, but I've got seven years on you now. And I'm not the type of guy who takes advantage of children."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," Gray said resignedly. Gorun guessed that the two of them were old friends.

* * *

With the arrival of the outsiders, the conversations in the guild moved more towards what had been happening to the rest of the country while the S-class wizards and candidates had been trapped on the island. Gorun was already up to speed on these events, so he mostly let the others do the talking, instead choosing to sit on a barstool and wait for Kinana to take a break. She noticed him waiting quickly enough, and she tossed him a wink before grabbing two more mugs and filling them with a sweet ale that she and Gorun favored.

"I'm taking a break, Mira!" the purple-haired girl said as they headed out the door.

"Take your time!" the white-haired mage called back with a happy smile.

The two of them walked past Erza, Bisca, and Alzack, who were deep in conversation, the requip mage's eyebrows furrowed deeply in concern or anger, Gorun wasn't quite sure. Similarly, he could see Gray and Lyon- both of them missing their shirts for some reason- conversing quietly with one another up on the guild hall's roof.

Following his gaze after they reached the edge of the property, Kinana let out a small giggle, guessing at the object of her friend's curiosity. "Gray and Lyon trained under the same master," she told him. "Apparently she had them both get half-naked in the snow to get used to the cold so that they could be more in tune with their ice-make magic."

"Oh, so that's why that guy's energy felt familiar," Gorun realized out loud. "He uses the same kind of magic as Gray?"

"Both are ice mages, yeah," Kinana nodded. "But their styles are completely different. Kind of like how Macao and Romeo both use fire magic, but they prefer different spells."

"Got it," Gorun nodded in understanding. He sipped at his drink, looking back into the guild hall, where he could see some of the returned members posing for Reedus as he worked quickly with his paints and canvas. There was new energy in his work now, the young warrior noticed, and it made him smile to see his friends all so happy.

"Things are really looking up for Fairy Tail, aren't they?" he said quietly.

"They are," Kinana smiled, leaning slightly on him as she looked back at the guild hall. The motion caught him by surprise at first, but he found that he quite enjoyed the contact. "I'm really happy, Gorun. More so than I have been for seven years… Except maybe for the day I met you."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, trying to keep his tone casual, even though he felt like his heart had just tried to jump out of his chest. "What was so great about that?"

"Well, we all made a new friend for the first time in _years_ ," she reminded him. "And I got to meet a guy that's as loyal and kind as they come."

"I dunno," he said as he scratched his head sheepishly. "If anyone asked Cana about me, she'd probably say I'm the devil."

"No, the devil's already tending the bar," Kinana grinned, her smile turning into a laugh when it became clear that Gorun had missed out on the joke. Switching the subject back, she asked, "What did you do to make her mad?"

"I think she was trying to flirt with me, and I shot her down in a… umm… let's go with 'rude' way," he winced as he finished.

"Wow, you shot down Cana?" Kinana asked, eyebrows raised. "What made you do that? Most guys back in the day would've killed for that chance."

"She's not my type," he shrugged, still trying to act indifferent.

"So what _is_ your type, Gorun?" Kinana asked, her tone still soft and gentle. But behind those words, the boy sensed something- he was being given an opening. _At least I hope she's giving me an opening,_ he thought, sweating lightly. _Or I'm going to look like the biggest idiot in all of Fiore._

"Well…" he began carefully. "I like a girl who's well-mannered and very kind to others, even if things are looking bad. A gentle spirit has always appealed more to me than a girl who wants to make a challenge out of everything."

Kinana blushed as she fidgeted in place, looking down into her drink now. "Y-You like kinder girls?" she stammered.

"No," he shook his head. "Just one."

"Y-Yeah?" she said, flushing positively scarlet now. "Wh-What does she l-look like?"

"Hmm…" the boy pretended to think, enjoying this moment, positive that it would be one he would always remember and treasure. "She's really pretty," he finally said. "In my opinion, Jenny from Blue Pegasus has nothing on her- and could learn a thing or two about how to present herself from the girl I've had my eye on." At the mention of Fiore's current number one model, and his comparison to her, Kinana's blush went to a whole new level, now matching Erza's hair color. She was positive that she could feel the heat rising from her face in waves as she looked at the ground, the sky, her drink- anywhere but in Gorun's direction.

It took a minute, but she finally managed to say, "S-So she must be a real looker, huh? A-Anything else you l-like about her?" She was half-hoping he'd just leave it at that- she wasn't sure how much more of this embarrassment she could handle. All this time, she'd suspected that Gorun had been crushing on her, but she never would have guessed that he thought so highly of her, or thought her so beautiful.

"Like I said before, she's a very attractive girl," Gorun answered almost immediately. He was feeling a little more confident now, but he still chose his words carefully. "I think one of my favorite things about her… has to be her eyes. They're this pretty green color that reminds me of this forest near where I grew up…"

She jerked up and turned to look at him, eyes wide. It was the first time since she'd known him that he had volunteered information about his past completely of his own volition. Even more than that, he had never, not once, talked about himself as a child. "What was it like, where you grew up?" she asked before she could stop herself.

He smiled at her, but she could tell that it was forced. She immediately regretted asking him, but he began to speak before she could apologize. "Like I mentioned, it was a forest. One side of my ancestors used to rule the area, and to this day, people descended from his bloodline still call it home. There were always animals of all sorts running around- I would often see deer, rabbits, foxes, squirrels, fish… Most of those things turned into dinner after my dad caught them." He chuckled a bit at that, but then his face became incredibly sad. "When I was five, I was taken away to start my training as a warrior. I never saw the place again."

"Gorun, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories!" Kinana said, setting down her mug on the fence beside them to take his free hand in both of hers. "I must be more tired than I thought, otherwise I never would have-"

"I didn't get to tell you my number one favorite thing about that girl," he said, interrupting her and stunning her into silence.

"Wh-What?" she stammered.

"Don't you wanna know?" he asked her, his friendly gray eyes alight with humor.

"I… I guess so?" she answered, feeling like she was missing something.

Gorun set down his mug next to hers on the fence, then laid his other hand on top of their intertwined ones. "The thing that I like the most about this girl…" he grinned as he looked directly into her forest green eyes. "…is how she can turn my most rotten, messed-up days right around just by being there to talk to me. No one else I know can do that."

She stared at him, open-mouthed. Again, she was taken aback at his high regard for her, and the fact that he was willing to admit it so readily. The fact that she deeply admired him in return, and that she had hoped he would someday realize how she felt about him only heightened her sense of euphoria.

"S-S-So…" she stuttered, feeling her face flare up again. "I-If you like her so much… this girl… why haven't you done anything about it…? A-Asked her out?"

Gorun knew that whether or not she had meant to, Kinana had just led him into a proverbial mine field. One wrong word now, and this could all blow up in his face. And he couldn't take too long with his answer, either, or else she'd suspect him of lying. Sweet and gentle as she might be, Kinana was still a girl. And when it came to things like this, boys only had one chance to get it right.

"I wanted to make sure that these feelings weren't just a come-and-go type of thing," he answered, squeezing her hands gently. "I wanted to make sure that they were going to last."

"And did they?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gorun's grin widened considerably. "Tell you what," he said. "I'm going on a job next Friday. Come with me, and once it's over, you'll know exactly how I feel. Deal?"

The sudden change in topic caught the girl off-guard, but her mouth moved before her brain could catch up. "Sure, I'd love to go on a job with you," she answered. "It's been a while since- wait a second!" Her eyes widened. "What kind of job is it?"

"Oh, just a capture job, nothing too major," Gorun grinned cheekily as he quickly- yet gently- released her hands. "The payout's four million jewel, though, so I thought I'd invite some of the others along with us. Is that okay?"

"As long as you tell me one thing," she said, her eyes still slightly wide. "Does it have to do with that Magic Ball that the Balsamico Family is throwing this year?"

Gorun's smile brightening was all the answer she needed. "Consider it a date," he said over his shoulder as he grabbed up his mug and started walking back towards the guild hall.

"A d-date…" she repeated, her cheeks blazing.

As he walked away, Gorun couldn't stop a huge grin from breaking out on his face. _I can't believe it!_ he crowed inwardly. _I just got a date with the hottest girl in Fiore!_

* * *

It was the day following the party, after everyone had been well-rested and Lamia Scale had said their farewells, that Makarov called on Erza, Mirajane, and Gorun to accompany him to Twilight Ogre's headquarters. "It's about time we settled our debts once and for all," was all he would say when Gorun pressed him about it.

Officially, Macao should be the one to handle the negotiations since he held the title of Fairy Tail's guild master. However, he knew that papers could only carry so much weight- Makarov was the true master here, and he was more than happy to let the wizard saint 'delegate' on his behalf.

So it was that Gorun found himself standing beside Fairy Tail's female S-class wizards while the elderly former master of Fairy Tail spoke in a pleasant tone to Twilight Ogre's overweight, overbearing guild master. "I simply meant that we should begin by renegotiating the terms of our loan," he was saying.

"I ain't negotiatin' with deadbeats who rough up my boys and refuse to pay their debts!" the other man bellowed. "We got a reputation to uphold!" He gestured to five men wrapped in bandages- Gorun's handiwork, Makarov assumed.

"Very well, we can do that, too," the old man said, maintaining his same, docile tone that he'd been using since the beginning. "I have no problem discussing your guild's reputation. I'll tell you exactly what I think if you want."

"You got quite the mouth on ya, you little piss-ant!" the Twilight Ogre boss shouted, veins bulging out of his forehead as he kicked aside his coffee table. None of the Fairy Tail wizards flinched, even though all of Gorun's instincts were screaming at him to show this disrespectful man what happened when you messed with Fairy Tail.

Still, Erza and Mirajane had both told him, in no uncertain terms, not to act unless they did first. He knew that they both held Master Makarov's trust, so he would follow their lead for the time being. He still really, _really_ wanted to punch somebody.

"Get payback for what's owed," Makarov said nonchalantly. "That's the Twilight Ogre creed if memory serves… Much like an _eye for an eye._ " His bearing completely changed in that instant. He was relaxed and carefree one moment, and the next, Gorun noticed a severe spike in his magic power level that correlated with the rage in his voice.

"Exactly," Erza added. "And we can account for seven years of property damage and abuse." A blazing red aura that reminded Gorun of his Kaioken began to emanate from the girl, even as a dark purple energy began to leak out of Mirajane.

"So if one thinks about it in those terms, it would seem that _you_ owe _us_." The normally sweet-tempered barmaid had a vicious smile on her face, Gorun noticed, and the ki he sensed coming from her was very dark in nature. To him, neither one of the girls was a great threat. But to the others in the room…

A smile of his own lit up his face as he cracked his knuckles, a red magic circle appearing above his head as he added, "You've disgraced our home's name for long enough, ogres."

" **The suffering you forced my children to go through all the years I wasn't there to protect them- it brings tears to my eyes!** " Makarov snarled in a warped voice as he began to grow in size, his energy output spiking as he began to transform into his giant form. " **So understand this, you monsters! If it's war you want, then it's war you're going to get!** "

Behind him, Erza was decked out in her deadly Purgatory Armor while Mirajane had engaged her Demon Soul form. Lastly, Gorun stood between them, three magic circles flaring with energy above his head before vanishing and wreathing him in a blazing red aura.

That's when the screaming started.

* * *

"I can't believe you guys didn't let me do that a year ago," Gorun said with a broad smile as the group was on their way home, a destroyed Twilight Ogre guild hall left in their wake.

"I still can't believe Natsu didn't join in when he showed up," Wakaba muttered. "He's usually the first one to jump into a fight."

"He and Happy looked pretty bummed about something," Macao mused aloud.

"Weren't they going somewhere with their teammate?" Gorun asked, the blond wizard's name escaping him for a moment.

"Lucy," Erza reminded him. Looking at the older men, she asked, "Did she come back with them?"

"Didn't see her, no," Macao shook his head.

"Huh," Gorun mused, the scuffle with Twilight Ogre already fading from his mind. "I thought those three seemed inseparable. I hope she's okay."

"They usually are, but sometimes Lucy gets fed up with their antics and tells them to leave her alone," Erza shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"You're probably right," Mirajane smiled happily. "Natsu and Lucy are already like an old married couple with a kid!"

"I… don't think that was the point of bringing this up," Gorun deadpanned.

* * *

Whatever had happened among the original members of Team Natsu wound up being of little consequence to the group dynamic with the Magic Ball coming up, and Gorun getting ready to pick who he would invite along on the job. He was quick to invite the members of Team Natsu since he enjoyed getting to know them, and he figured that they could use the extra money after being gone for seven years- after all, four million jewel could be divided among more than a few people quite fairly. As an extra precaution, he invited Elfman to beef up their security detail and Warren to act as coordinator with his telepathy magic.

The job was, after all, to capture a dangerous escaped convict. After going over the objective with some of the other members of the team he had put together for the job, he noticed that Gray seemed surprised when he mentioned the name of their target: a thief named Velveno.

"You have a history with this guy?" Gorun asked the ice mage.

"No, I actually remember almost taking this job seven years ago," Gray replied, eyeing the mission detail closely. "Back then, he was worth only four hundred grand, not four million."

"Maybe he's like a fine wine," Gorun grinned. "More valuable with age."

"I don't think that's how you're supposed to use that expression…" Lucy muttered. Before Gorun could protest, she suddenly clicked her fingers as a thought occurred to her. "Wait a sec, this is a dance party, right?"

"A ball, yeah," the teenaged warrior nodded.

"Well, if we're going to go in undercover, we should all probably work on our dance moves," she pointed out.

At this, Gorun suddenly felt as though Goku had slugged him in the gut. _Crap!_ He panicked, eyes widening. _I don't know how to dance!_ He imagined trying to dance with Kinana at the party, but all he could see was himself tripping over his own feet and making a fool out of himself. His only comfort- small though it was- would have to be the fact that Natsu and Gray also seemed to have no idea how to dance, if the looks on their faces were anything to go by.

* * *

Fortunately, Lucy seemed to have an idea of what dancing was about. "Come here and give me your hands," she told Natsu, who groaned in embarrassment but complied. The group had moved outside at Lucy's suggestion, where she agreed to spend the afternoon teaching those that didn't know how to dance the basics. Joining Gorun, Elfman, and Gray in spectating were Romeo, Mirajane, and Kinana.

"I was starting to wonder if there was anything you didn't know how to do," the purple-haired girl teased her prospective date. As they looked on, Natsu and Lucy began to follow a basic pattern, the pinkette looking like he wished he was anywhere but there.

Gorun flushed a bit at the gentle teasing, but he managed to reply, "We established early on that I can't cook, so you already knew I'm terrible at something. I guess now you can start a list." He grinned slightly to take any unintended bite out of his words.

"Ow!" Lucy yelped as Natsu's foot landed on hers.

"Oops!" Natsu had the grace to look embarrassed. "My bad!"

"So… is it supposed to be some kind of foot-stomping game?" Romeo asked, confused.

"That sounds like more fun than I thought it was gonna be," Gray chuckled, tossing aside his shirt casually.

"Come on, even I know dancing is more to _avoid_ stepping on your partner, and _why_ do you keep doing that?" Gorun's last comment was directed at the ice wizard, who looked down in surprise to see that his shirt was missing.

"Gah!" he cried. "Stupid habit!"

"Habit?!" Gorun repeated. "I thought your teacher only told you to strip in the snow- it's summer right now!"

"I just got used to doing it, okay?!" Gray snapped.

"That's really creepy!"

"Is not!"

"Kinana, back me up- ack!" The startled cry was drawn out of the teenager as he saw Romeo dancing with his date for the ball later that week.

"Romeo wanted to know what dancing was supposed to be like, so Kinana agreed to show him while you two were arguing," Mirajane told the open-mouthed Saiyan.

"B-But…" he stammered. "I wanted to…"

"I'll teach you!" the white-haired girl said happily, grabbing his hands and hauling him off to an area near Natsu and- surprisingly, Erza had switched out with Lucy while sporting a sky blue dress- before giving him a small curtsey. "Usually, it's polite for the gentleman to ask a lady for a dance," Mira continued. "But I'll let it slide this time since you're new to the whole dancing thing."

"I-"

"Now, hands go here and here, don't be shy," Mirajane chattered, overriding his protests as she placed his left hand in her right and his right hand just above her right hip. She quickly placed her own hands in their appropriated places and added, "Usually the man takes the lead, but since you haven't done this before, I'll help you along."

"You-"

"Here we go, let's set a nice, easy rhythm…" she continued, either ignoring or not catching his attempted protests. "One and two and three and four… One and two and three and four… Come on, don't drag your feet!" As it was, Gorun had no choice but to comply with the overeager Mira's orders, forcing his feet to mirror hers and follow the pace she had set.

After a few minutes of this, he felt a little more confident- other than the fact that he was in such close proximity with an attractive girl, he found that dancing wasn't all that hard. If he thought about it, dancing wasn't a far cry from fighting in the sense that it was all about reading your partner's movements and timing your own actions to match theirs'. Gorun was very athletic and light on his feet, not to mention incredibly coordinated. His training from such a young age had seen to it that his balance and sense of self-awareness were well-developed by this stage in his life. All of these things added up to make him a quick learner when it came to the art of dance.

He wouldn't be entering any dance competitions soon, but at least he'd be able to pass as a member of higher society at the ball later that week. Once he'd learned what he could from Mira, he was surprised to see that just about the entire guild had joined their originally private lesson, and it seemed like everyone was having a good time- except for Macao and Wakaba, who seemed to be fighting over who would get to dance with Mira when Gorun was done with his lesson.

The young man grinned as he saw a solution to both that problem and his earlier conundrum. "Thank you for the lessons, Mirajane," he said respectfully as he bowed to her.

"You're very welcome," she smiled brightly in return as she dipped in a slight curtsey again. "I'm glad I was able to help."

"I think I'll return the favor," Gorun grinned back as he grasped her hand and led her away from the two older men, who looked affronted as he led her away. He led the girl through the small crowd of people until they came across Romeo and Kinana, who were finishing up a dance- someone had even set up a music lachryma to play some ballroom music to aid the practice session.

"Hello there," he grinned as the fire mage and his friend turned to greet them. "Mind if we switch partners?"

"I don't know, Romeo here is quite the dancer," Kinana teased him, causing the kid to blush a little bit as he stared down at his feet. "Think you can step in his shoes?"

"He's a quick learner," Mirajane said brightly. "Besides, I can't let you have such a charming young man to yourself all day, Kinana. Let me have a dance with Romeo!" The young mage was beet red in the face now. Somewhere behind him, Gorun felt Wakaba and Macao's power levels plummet, accompanied by the sound of two people hitting the dirt, forcing him to stifle a laugh. _Serves 'em right, going after a girl less than half their age,_ he thought.

"Well, your partner is quite the catch, too," the purple-haired girl replied coyly. "Sure you won't regret letting me have a dance with him? I might not give him back."

"Fine by me, can we dance now?" Gorun asked impatiently. When the girls both raised their eyebrows at him, he cleared his throat and said, "Sorry, I meant… Kinana, would you like to dance with me? Please?" He added the last word hastily, hoping it would raise his chances.

He needn't have worried so much. Both girls burst into a fit of giggles as Kinana moved away from Romeo and clasped Gorun's hands in her own. "I would love to dance with you," she told him, bringing a bright grin to his face. Looking over her shoulder, she added, "Thanks for the dance, Romeo."

"Sure, no problem," he said with a weak grin, still a little red from the girls' earlier compliments.

"C'mon, Romeo, I'll show you how to do the waltz if you like," Mira offered as they walked a few paces away.

Gorun quickly placed his hands in the proper places, turning just a bit red again when he put his right hand on Kinana's hip, but he managed to hold eye contact with the girl as the next song began to play. "Shall we?" he asked.

"Ready when you are," she grinned, also a little red in the face from their closeness, but clearly happy.

So they began to dance.

* * *

"I gotta say, my jobs usually don't take me to places as nice as this one," Gorun commented as he eyed the impressive Balsamico estate. The group had just arrived as the night fell, an hour before the ball was even set to begin. The leader of the job reached up and knocked on the door three times, loudly.

"You tend to take on jobs like fighting off monsters from villages and cities, not private estates," Kinana reminded him.

"Hey, it's a win-win," Gorun chuckled. "I get some exercise and solid cash, the people in the village get to be safe again. I don't have the head for undoing curses and all that, which is usually what private clientele that can offer this much cash want to happen."

"Nah man, all ya gotta do with curses is smash 'em," Natsu grinned.

"That's not true," Lucy frowned. "Trying to directly destroy a curse usually makes things worse than if you cast a proper counter spell."

"Galuna Island," Natsu shot back.

"You and Erza smashed a _poison dome_ , not the curse itself!" Lucy argued.

"Still counts," the fire dragon slayer laughed.

Before the two of them could argue any more, the doors to the estate swung open to admit a pretty young woman with long brown hair. Her expression was slightly puzzled as she said, "Erm… You're all a little early."

" _What a fox!_ " Warren shouted with his telepathy.

He went down a second later, courtesy of Gorun's fist crashing on top of his head. "If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times," he grumbled as he stared down at his comrade, looking annoyed. "Keep your thoughts to yourself if you're gonna do that!"

"S-Sorry…" Warren groaned as he raised a shaky thumbs-up.

"That was a little overboard, wasn't it?" Lucy said mildly, but the others ignored her.

"Apologies for intruding on you so early, but we're mages with Fairy Tail," Erza said as she stepped up beside Gorun. "We've come regarding the job posted by the owner of the mansion."

Immediately the girl's expression cleared and she opened the door wider to admit them. "Right this way," she said with a friendly smile. "My father will be with you shortly."

"Remember, best behavior everyone," Erza reminded them, giving Natsu a pointed look.

* * *

As it turned out, she had wasted her breath. Although, looking at their client, Gorun was having a hard time keeping himself together. The man was diminutive in size, and his lips were drawn inward so that it looked as though he had something sour stuck in his mouth. The fact that his name was Count Balsamico only added to the picture.

"This guy is hilarious!" Natsu exclaimed as he pointed at the man- who had taken residence on the knees of the girl that had shown them in- while barely holding in a laugh. "He's got a sour name and sour face to match!"

Lucy growled loudly before shouting, "Don't screw this up for me!" Natsu settled down, but couldn't keep a big grin off of his face.

Only they and Erza were present in the room to negotiate for the job. Warren was busy setting up surveillance lachrymas with the help of Happy and Carla while the others were donning attire fit for a wizard's ball. Knowing Gray's habit, Gorun hoped that the guy would at least wear a tie and not lose it during the night.

"I'll get right down to it," the count began. "I want you to know that there is more to the job than what was originally posted on the notice."

Erza and Gorun's eyebrows met in the middle of their foreheads as the teenage Saiyan muttered, "What's the catch, then?"

"Velveno is exceedingly dangerous due to his skill in both transformation magic, and magical drain," Balsamico replied quickly. "These abilities allow to pass as virtually anyone he comes into contact with."

 _Damn, this just got more complicated,_ Gorun winced. If this Velveno did indeed make an appearance tonight and copy his abilities, things could get very dangerous for anyone nearby. His ki magic was incredibly destructive, and in the wrong hands, deadly to innocents. Still, he felt confident enough that he could detect the man by sensing for rapid changes in power levels- his experience with transformations had taught him that when someone changed forms, their power levels would change to accommodate the new body. It would be a dead giveaway if Velveno transformed during the magic ball.

"That mixes things up a bit, but we can handle it," Gorun assured him. "My question is why- why is he coming here tonight, right after breaking out of jail for trying to- as I understand it- rob you seven years ago?"

"It all has to do with my daughter Aceto," Balsamico answered.

Natsu could no longer contain himself. "That name's hilarious!" he burst out, laughing.

"It's a lovely name for a lovely girl!" the count shot back angrily.

 _Wham!_ Erza beat Gorun to the punch- literally, sending Natsu flying into the wall without so much a glance in his direction. "Apologies, sir," she said calmly. "Please, continue."

Somewhat mollified by Natsu's punishment, Balsamico continued his explanation. "Tonight is the night that a very special clock in the great hall will ring at midnight, and when it does, a ring that has been in my family for generations will be brought out. It is incredibly valuable, but what makes it most special is that any man who obtains the ring will have the right to propose to my beautiful daughter." The girl behind him nodded to confirm this. "Velveno tried to steal the ring seven years ago, but failed. He did, however, manage to ruin the proceedings that would have led to Aceto's engagement."

The man's face darkened as he shouted, "I want him kept away from that ring, and I want him put back in jail where belongs!" Coming from the tiny man, it was hard to take the request seriously, but Gorun managed to squelch his laughter long enough to stick to business.

"We put him in jail, and we get four million jewel?" he asked. He wanted to be sure that there hadn't been a mistake on the flier.

To their relief and delight, the small count nodded. "That is correct, capture the man known as Velveno, and you will be four million jewels richer."

"Awesome!" Lucy said happily. Standing and turning to the others, she said, "Let's do this thing! I'm all fired up!"

* * *

"Are we all set?" Gorun asked as he walked into the changing room Gray had been using. Surprisingly, the ice wizard was fully clothed, even to the point of having a necktie done up around his neck, albeit loosely. "Huh."

"Don't worry, I'll keep them on," Gray said dryly. "You should be more worried about Natsu spilling something on that vest he's planning on wearing."

"As long as we can all look the part long enough to capture Velveno, I don't care what you all look like afterward," Gorun replied with a slight grin. "Strange though, I'm surprised you didn't ask Juvia to this event."

"Oh great, not you too," Gray replied with a slight groan of annoyance. "I get enough of this from Mirajane."

"Oh, not mutual?" the monkey-tailed fighter asked, though he wasn't really surprised. He'd noticed the water mage's outspoken attraction to Gray- as had every other person in the guild- and further noticed that he didn't seem to reciprocate the feelings.

" _Definitely_ one-sided," Gray sighed, sounding exhausted just thinking about it.

"Well, not that it's any of my business, but have you told her that?" Gorun asked.

"In multiple ways, but not in as many words," the ice wizard admitted. "She's had a rough life, and I don't wanna hurt her any more than she has been."

"Life is full of hurt," Gorun shrugged. "If I were in your position- which I have been- I'd tell her I'm not interested outright. Then you've done your part, and if she reacts badly to it, that's on her, ya know? Just saying, the longer you don't shut the door, the more she's going to force herself through it, until either you have to toss her out of the proverbial room, or you end up in a relationship basically against your will."

Gray blinked once before saying, "You, uh… You've done this a few times, huh?"

"Yeah…" Gorun grumbled, remembering all of the girls that had approached him during his brief tenure as a Time Patroller. "It sucks, dude. But, I think I do know what's likely to help things along."

"What's that?" Gray asked.

"Get a date," Gorun shrugged. "It shows Juvia that you're not interested, and if things go well, you've got stalker repellent in the form of a girlfriend."

"Has that worked for you?" Gray replied, a little more eager than was necessary.

"I'll let you know in a couple of weeks," the Saiyan chuckled. "For now- let's hit the dance floor!"

* * *

They met Natsu and Elfman in the ball room a few minutes later. Gorun's keen eyes immediately went upwards to make sure that the monitor lachrymas Warren had been preparing were in place. Satisfied that they were, he greeted Natsu with a fist bump. "You actually know how to pick an outfit," he grinned at the Salamander. The vest the pinkette was wearing definitely made him look sharp, like he actually belonged at the ball with all the other well-to-doers in their fancy getups.

"Ach, Lucy made me bring it," he grumbled. Despite the fancy outfit, he had retained his white scarf, which seemed to be his most consistent piece of clothing. Gorun wondered at it, but decided that he could question the boy's fashion statement later.

Looking down at himself, he wondered for a moment if his attire was too colorful. He was wearing a dark blue dress jacket with matching slacks, black shoes, and a white shirt underneath. A forest green bow tie rested right below his neck to complete the outfit. Then, when he looked at what some of the other people were wearing, he discarded the notion.

Elfman was dressed up completely in white- his jacket, shirt, pants, even his tie and shoes were white. The only exception to this was red rose on the lapel of his jacket. Despite being arguably the best dressed out of the men from the guild, he seemed on edge, nervous. "You doing okay, Elfman?" Gorun asked him. "Feeling nervous about all this?"

"A real man doesn't get afraid of dances!" he replied, straightening himself. "He gets pumped, because balls are super manly!"

It took all of Gorun's self-control not to smack himself in the face. "Uh… you want a minute to rephrase that, buddy?" he asked hopefully.

"A real man doesn't go back on his word!" Elfman declared.

"Figures," Gorun sighed. He was beginning to wonder if bringing the brawny mage was going to be more trouble than it was worth. Then again, an extra set of eyes wouldn't hurt anything… he hoped.

Addressing the others, he muttered, "Wait until the girls come out. When they do, fan out, keep them within eyesight. Remember your pairings?"

"I'm keeping an eye on Wendy," Gray recited from Gorun's briefing back at the guild hall.

"I got Lucy," Natsu nodded.

"My eyes'll be on Erza," Elfman nodded quickly. "But if we're bein' honest here, she doesn't really need an escort."

"So I've been told, but I prefer to be careful," Gorun replied quickly. "Remember, this guy can make himself look like anyone, then copy our powers just from touching us. So keep an eye out on people that seem interested in interacting with us, or Lady Aceto, or both." They and the girls had all agreed to check in with their partners once every song, even from a distance, in order to make for speedy communication just in case something seemed off. Warren's telepathy would see to it that they all could stay in touch.

 _Speaking of which…_ Gorun frowned slightly. Concentrating on the older wizard, he thought, _Warren, can you hear me?_

" _Loud and clear,_ " the mage answered. " _I've just finished rigging the last of the surveillance lachrymas. Happy and Carla are with me on standby._ "

" _Aye!_ " said the blue cat.

" _We'll come get you if we notice anything out of the ordinary in the back rooms,_ " his white-furred kinswoman added.

 _Good, keep me posted,_ the Saiyan nodded, even though they couldn't see him. _The others know their jobs, we're just waiting for the girls to- oh, here they come._

His eyes quickly picked out Erza in a purple dress embroidered with red roses, followed by Lucy who wore a dark red satin dress. Following them was Wendy, who was all smiles in her getup, a formal white gown with red frills. However, among them, Gorun did not see the girl that he was most hoping to spend time with that evening.

Then he felt a tap on his shoulder, followed by a gentle, familiar voice that reminded him of a refreshing light spring rain. "Excuse me, sir, are you waiting for someone?" He turned around with a quip ready, and a smile on his lips, but his brain was rendered useless at the sight of his best friend.

Kinana was dressed in a long, deep green dress that matched her eyes and hugged her frame quite nicely. There was slit on one side of the dress to allow easier movement that showed part of her pale leg, and the pretty purple dance shoes that she was wearing. Her hair she had mostly left untouched, but he noticed that she had a white rose resting behind her right ear. In summation, she looked very lovely, but his mouth didn't seem to want to work with his brain right then.

The girl suddenly blushed a deep red, unsure as to what his sudden silence meant. "I-Is it too much?" she asked nervously.

"No!" he blurted out, a little louder than he meant to. Taking a deep breath and forcing himself to calm down, he said, "No, it's great. _You_ look great." Finally, he managed to get himself to smile, which she nervously returned.

"I-I'm glad you like it," she admitted. "I had Lucy help me pick out the dress."

"Remind me to thank her later," the boy said as he held out an arm for her to grasp. "You really do look great, Kinana."

"You look very nice yourself," she smiled as she looped her arm through his. "Shall we dance?"

"I'd love to," he replied with a broad grin. Turning briefly to the others- he wasn't entirely surprised to see that Natsu was eyeing the buffet tables hungrily- he said, "All right, gentlemen. It's showtime- make sure you keep your partner within eyeshot."

"We got it, go on," Gray said dismissively. "Just make sure you two keep watch for when the count's daughter comes out." Since it had been mutually agreed that Gorun and Kinana would be dancing exclusively with one another, it would be their job to tail Aceto and keep an eye on any suitors that might approach her.

"Will do," Gorun nodded as he led his date away. Stepping onto one of the small platforms that would float above the other party-goers so that pairs could dance on uninterrupted, the duo was all smiles. Once the device had reached its intended height, the Saiyan boy placed his hands in the appropriate places and began to dance with his best friend.

"I'm glad you asked me to come with you," Kinana told him once the music began to play.

"On the job to capture a convicted thief and escapee, or the magic ball?" he teased her.

"Both," she admitted with a little laugh. "I'll admit, it's not exactly how I pictured my first date going, but I'm liking it better than I thought I would- it's definitely less awkward than I imagined."

"Same," Gorun agreed. "I always thought I would end up giving into peer pressure and just end up going with some random girl that wanted my attention. I'm much happier that my first date is with a great friend."

"Just a friend?" Kinana asked, her green eyes searching his closely. There wasn't any hurt in her forest-colored orbs- yet. Again, he knew that even if she hadn't meant to, her question had put him in a precarious spot.

 _Ah, what the hell,_ he thought resignedly. "Well, I _was_ going to save the question for after we'd caught the bad guy…" he grinned sheepishly, an expression that Kinana returned. "But I guess now's as good a time as any." Pausing in the dance to step a little closer to the beautiful girl, he asked, "So, Kinana… How'd you feel about making these date things a regular thing between us?"

She giggled at the roundabout phrasing he'd used, but she quickly composed herself enough to say, "I guess that depends. If I say 'yes', do I get any benefits?"

"I thought spending exclusive time with me _was_ the benefit you were looking for," Gorun grinned crookedly.

"Well, I was hoping that this whole 'dating exclusively' thing might come with some kind of label so that I can tell other people about it," Kinana smiled back, her cheeks still a little red.

"Impatient much?" Gorun laughed with a shake of his head.

"You _have_ been making me wait for more than a year," she tossed back cheerfully.

"Fair point," he chuckled back. Then, to her puzzlement, the smile disappeared from his face as he murmured, "I really do want us to be a couple, Kinana. But before we make it official- before I can comfortably ask you to start sharing your time with me like this, there's something you need to know about me."

"O-Okay," she said, a little apprehensive from his sudden change in mood and the gravity of his expression.

Seeing her worried face, he quickly smiled again and said, "It's nothing bad, trust me. It's just… there are some things about my past that I never really thought that I'd tell anyone. But I know that good relationships are built on trust, and I want you to be able to trust me, Kinana. So I need to come clean about some of the things I've been hiding." When she opened her mouth to ask him something, he grinned a little wider and said, "Before you ask, no, I'm not an escaped convict or anything like that. I haven't done anything that should put me in a jail or classify me as a bad person."

Her mouth closed and relief swept across her features. "Well, if that's the case, I'm sure I don't have anything to worry about," she smiled. "And if talking about your past makes you uncomfortable, don't feel like you have to tell me all at once, or even at all. I trust you, secrets and all, Gorun. Because you're Fairy Tail." She placed a gentle hand on his right forearm, where she knew his guild mark rested.

"And it's because of that reasoning that I don't want to feel like I've taken advantage of your trust," Gorun said firmly. "Though… I do appreciate what you've said. Maybe I can just tell you little pieces at a time?"

"Sure," the girl nodded happily. "I'd like it if my boyfriend would tell me about himself."

Gorun's eyes widened in surprise as he murmured. "I… I didn't even get to ask you."

Kinana's eyes sparkled as she drew her face closer to his, whispering, "You never had to, Gorun." Just as their lips were about to meet, a wave of cold flashed through the room. They separated, both of them looking thoroughly irritated since they knew of only one wizard that could produce that kind of effect with their magic. And for the temperature to be dropping so quickly, it could only mean that he was engaged in combat.

 _Gray, I am throwing you through a mountain range for interrupting that!_ Gorun seethed. Looking down below, he could see that he'd only been half-right in his assumption about Gray starting a fight. Facing off against him was a masked woman who was wielding ice-make magic to create a polar bear that she sent charging at him.

"I'll take the lady," Kinana said, her tone indicating that she too was mad about their moment being interrupted. Down below, people were clearing a space for the two to battle uninterrupted.

"Don't bother holding back," Gorun scowled. "I can't tell yet if it's Velveno in disguise, but if she's holding her own against Gray, she can take a hit." The two immediately took flight, diving to land twenty feet away from their targets as Gorun shouted, "Both of you! Cool it!"

"Gallick Gun…!" Kinana growled, bringing her hands up near her head while pale purple energy gathered in her right palm. " _Fire!_ " She thrust her hands forward so that a laser blast sent the lady flying from where she stood, open-mouthed.

" _Kamehameha_!" Gorun shouted less than a second later, bowling over Gray with the ki waves and sending him sprawling. Since it was a quick-charge version of the attack, there was no damage done to the building, not even the flooring. Looking at the surprised guests, he said in a raised voice, "I understand that we're all wizards here. Normally, I'd love a good brawl myself. However, I'd rather _not_ spend my evening putting down upstarts like this!"

Taking the cue from the powerful wizard that had just dropped into their midst, the onlookers quickly went back to mingling with one another. Gorun noticed Erza standing nearby, a massive sword in hand, which she quickly stored away. Locking eyes with the newest guild member, she gave him a nod of gratitude before moving past him without a word.

"Holy cow, that was awesome!" Natsu exclaimed as he walked up to the pair, a pile of food heaped on a platter resting in his hands. "Since when did you learn magic, Kinana?"

"Gorun started teaching me about a year ago," the girl smiled slightly. "I'm nowhere near his level, but I can hold my own whenever he invites me along for a job."

"So you practice Ki magic, too?" Lucy asked, her eyes wide.

"Anyone can do it," Gorun shrugged. "All it takes is practice and the right instruction."

"I wanna learn how to blast lasers!" Natsu said eagerly. "Show me how!"

"I think you're plenty capable with your fire magic," Gorun said honestly. "To quote a wise man, 'I do not fear the man who has learned a thousand different strikes a single time each. I fear the man who has practiced a single strike a thousand times."

"…Wha-?" Natsu said blankly.

"He means you're better off continuing to develop your own magical talents instead of trying to learn a new technique just cos you think it looks cool!" Lucy told him, exasperated.

"Got it in one," Gorun nodded.

"I didn't even think I could do magic for the longest time until Gorun sensed my hidden potential," Kinana smiled brightly. "He's really helped me grow the little magic that I did have into a respectable power."

"I'll say," Lucy grinned back. "You pack a real punch, girl!"

Before the exchange could go on, the crowd began to mutter at a slightly increased pitch, and Gorun noticed that the guests were mostly looking in one direction. Following their gaze, he could see that Count Balsamico and his daughter, Aceto, had finally arrived.

 _Warren?_ Gorun asked silently.

" _Yeah, man?_ "

 _Put everyone on high alert,_ the young man ordered his colleague. Glancing at the clock to double-check his intuition, he added, _It's close to midnight, and we haven't seen any sign of Velveno. Not to mention I haven't felt any significant changes in power levels, except for when Gray fought that woman…_

Warren hesitated before asking, " _D'you think it was her? Velveno in disguise?_ "

 _Unlikely,_ Gorun said with a shake of his head. _She used active ice-make magic, which is different from Gray's static style. If that had been Velveno, he'd have only been able to use spells that Gray knows, not make new ones._

" _Got it,_ " Warren agreed- it made sense now that Gorun mentioned the different styles. " _I'll make sure everyone else is put on alert._ "

 _Thanks,_ Gorun replied, and the connection was cut.

"So," Kinana said as she pulled Gorun away from the others as Aceto began to descend the stairs with her father by her side. "Can we get back to where we left off?"

Gorun silently cursed Gray again for picking a fight at that moment. "I would really love to," he grimaced. "But one of our main objectives tonight is ensuring Aceto's well-being. Now that she's here…"

"She seems like she's going to dance with Erza," Kinana pointed out. "I think her security is covered pretty well." Gorun turned to see that Aceto was indeed dancing with Erza on one of the floating platforms.

"Well, I gotta say I didn't see that one coming," he admitted. Turning back to his dance partner, who had a hopeful look in her eye, he relented and said, "All right. But before we resume, there is at least _one_ important thing I need to tell you."

"It can't wait?" Kinana pouted slightly.

"Trust me, once you know what it is, you'll understand why I'm so insistent on getting it out of the way right now," he muttered.

"Okay, tell me what it is, because I really liked where we were at," she sighed. "And I'd like to get back to it…" She gave him a wistful look that nearly melted his resolve- which might have been her goal.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'm a-"

 _Gong!_

"Are you _kidding me_?!" he seethed.

"Just tell me!" the girl begged.

"The ring comes out of the clock at midnight!" he replied, sounding torn between the job they had come to do and his commitment to telling her his secret. "Velveno might show up any second!"

"Gorun, please!" Kinana begged. "Tell me! I need to know that you'll take us seriously, and not run off whenever something else may or may not come up!" She sounded as though she might cry, which tore at the young man's heart.

More importantly, her words stopped Gorun in his tracks, both mentally and physically. His mind raced for the span of two more _gongs_ from the clock before he turned back to her with a determined look in his eyes. "You're right," he told her. "So here it is- I'm an alien from another dimension."

"…Okay, I wasn't expecting _that_ ," the girl admitted.

"Told you it was a big deal," her escort grimaced.

" _Guys!_ " Warren suddenly shouted in their heads, startling them both. " _The boy dancing with Wendy! It's Velveno!_ "

"What?!" Kinana and Gorun exclaimed together. They looked over at Wendy, whose dance partner was backing away with a knowing smile on his face. Just as the final bell rang from the clock, and a hidden mechanism revealed the Balsamico family ring, he leaped away from her, a bright light enveloping him.

Meanwhile, the rest of the menfolk- Elfman included, Gorun noted with annoyance- were all making a beeline for the ring. The tradition of the family stated that whoever got the ring first would be allowed to propose to Aceto. The Saiyan was disappointed in him- and Gray, seeing as he was supposed to be watching Wendy! He'd have words for both of them- later though. It was time to act now.

"Continue this later?" he asked Kinana as he put two fingers to his forehead.

He nearly lost his focus altogether when she pecked him on the cheek and said, "Of course. Go get him, I'll be right behind you."

"R-Right," he stammered before focusing on the figure emerging from the glow. "Here goes!" He noticed that Veleveno now looked as he did on the wanted poster- a tall, skinny man of dark skin dressed in a blue-and-orange suit with a red rose on the lapel. His hair was massive- easily three times the size of his actual head.

Gorun engaged the instant transmission and appeared in front of the man, startling him, but not enough to make him lose control. " _Sky Dragon ROAR!_ " he bellowed, sending Gorun flying, and preventing anyone else from getting close to the ring. Using the same magic, the thief used a wind current to sweep up the heirloom and deposit it into his waiting hand, which he clenched tight as soon as he had it. "Ha!" he crowed as Gorun glared up at him, angry that he'd been caught off-guard. "Now the Balsamico family heirloom is in the hands of the one and only Velveno!"

"Not for long!" Gorun bellowed, noting his enemy's power level, and being surprised that it was a respectable strength. " _Kaioken!_ " The red magic circle appeared and disappeared almost instantly, enveloping him in its strength.

"Haha, now it's a party!" Natsu cheered, leaping towards the thief with delight on his face. " _Fire Dragon IRON FIST!_ "

Veleveno smirked before turning to face him head-on and echoing, " _Fire Dragon IRON FIST!_ " Their fists met, and the explosion rocked the room. Natsu looked stunned while Veleveno appeared completely at ease, using the fire magic to light up a cigar as he announced, "I helped myself to some a your magic, too. Every Fairy Tail member that came to this little shindig, in fact."

"Not mine, you didn't!" Gorun shouted, leaping at the man with the speed of a bullet. He lashed out with a savage kick that Velveno barely dodged, which rendered the platform he'd been standing on into pieces from the force of the missed blow. "Get back here!" Gorun shouted. "I'm on a date right now, the least you could do is make this fast!"

"I ain't going nowhere yet!" Velveno laughed.

"Too bad, cos I'm about to show you the door!" his hunter shouted, even as two reddish-pink magic circles appeared in front of his hands. " _Double Sunday!_ " Twin lasers flew forth, aimed to strike Velveno head-on.

" _Fire Dragon ROAR!_ " the man shouted, countering Gorun's attack and setting off another explosion that rocked the estate.

"Requip: _Purgatory Armor!_ " Erza shouted as she leaped into the fray. Her deadly, spiked armor appeared, and she swung her mace at the criminal, hoping to catch the man off-guard.

She didn't. "Requip: _Purgatory Armor!_ " Velveno grinned, as if to mock her. A matching armor set and weapon appeared on him, and he beat back her attack easily. "It's pointless!" he laughed, the smoking cigar still in his mouth as he transformed back into his regular clothes. "Even if I didn't get ponytail's magic over there, I've got enough magic to keep you all away from me all night long."

"Then we'll just have to kick your butt the old fashioned way!" Natsu shouted, putting his fists up. "And we're pretty good at it, too!"

"Now you're speaking my language," the Saiyan boy grinned. "Three-layer magic circle: _Kaioken!_ " His power level spiked accordingly, increasing the aura surrounding his body, even as he prepared to use instant transmission again.

Suddenly, Velveno's smug expression became a worn, haggard one. "Aw, knock it off," he said as he held up a hand for them to stand down. "The last thing I actually want is to get into a fight with you and your buddies."

"Say what?!" Natsu sputtered.

"I'm here… because I screwed up last time," Velveno said, his gaze fixed on someone behind Natsu and himself, Gorun realized. Turning around, he saw the count's daughter standing between Gray and Elfman, who were prepared to defend her on Erza's orders, even as the man added, "Miss Aceto… I got something big to ask ya."

* * *

"I wasn't expecting that," Gorun muttered as he watched Aceto's fiancé being led away in chains. Velveno had agreed to turn himself in willingly after confessing his long-harbored feelings for the count's daughter, mostly at her urging. Now that the magical enforcement custody unit had arrived and taken the man away, Gorun and his date were standing outside on a balcony, where they could talk undisturbed.

"But it wasn't a bad surprise, was it?" Kinana grinned gently. "You weren't expecting it, but that doesn't mean things didn't turn out okay, right?"

Gorun gave her a sideways glance before saying, "You're not talking about Velveno and Aceto, are you?"

"Nope," she chirped. "I have to admit though, I am curious about what you told me before. I mean… you look pretty normal to me."

"For the most part, my people resemble humans very closely, with one big difference as far as our bodies go," he admitted with a shrug. "That, and I'm only partly alien. Most of me is human."

"So what, do you have eyes on the back of your head?" she teased him.

"You're taking this surprisingly well," he told her, frowning slightly with concern. "Are you sure you're still okay… you know… dating me?"

"Of course I am," she said, her smile fading as her expression grew serious. "I don't care if you're from another planet or whatever, I care that you have a good heart. I want to be your girlfriend, Gorun. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Slightly," he smiled, trying to hold back a laugh. "You're just… a little bit _way_ out of my league."

"Shut up," she told him with a gentle shove. "Seriously, is there anything else you feel like I absolutely _have_ to know before we make it official?"

"Well, yeah," he nodded, the smile coming off of his face. "I'll give you the short version for now, but… Okay, my ancestors were a savage warrior race called the Saiyans. Like I said, I also have a human heritage, but that's not important right now. The pure-blooded Saiyans all had tails on their backsides, and it was a huge source of power for them- and their greatest weakness."

He paused to gather his thoughts, leaving Kinana enough time to ask him, "So… do you have a tail, then?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "I keep it hidden not just to hide the fact that I'm an alien, but also because if anyone even grabs my tail, I'll become temporarily weakened, almost to the point of paralysis." Kinana's eyes widened slightly, but he held up a hand to forestall any questions as he continued to speak, saying, "Besides that weakness, there is another danger. My tail grants me an endurance level beyond my kin that have had their tails removed, or if they were born without one because of their earthling parentage. On average, I'm much stronger than the next Saiyan warrior, even if they trained the same way I did."

"How is that a danger?" Kinana wondered, confused.

"That part isn't," Gorun explained patiently. "You know how I prefer not to go out when the moon is full?" To emphasize his point, he gestured at the night sky above them, where a three-quarters-full moon was watching them.

"I'd noticed," Kinana admitted. "What does that have to do with your tail?"

"My tail acts like a kind of sponge for a certain radiation that the moon emits called 'Blutz Waves," he replied. "If my body absorbs enough of those, I transform into a giant ape sort of monster called an Oozaru. My power level multiplies by ten, as can my savagery."

At this, Kinana finally looked worried. Paling slightly, she asked, "H-How large of a monster do you become?"

"Ten stories tall, give or take," the boy replied grimly. "It's not just my tail, though. I have to look at the moon directly- my eyes also act as absorption units for the blutz waves. If I were to lose my tail, I'd never risk turning into an Oozaru again."

"Then why keep your tail, if it's that dangerous?" Kinana asked him.

"Besides the fact that it's a part of me, and one of the reasons I'm as strong as I am, I know how to control the Oozaru form," he replied quickly. "I only lose my senses if I go into the state unwillingly, which has never happened so far. I just don't go out during the full moon as an extra precaution."

"So… you're not like a werewolf, then?" she asked him, the ghost of a smile on her lips. "You won't transform against your will the minute you step out into a full moon?"

"Nah," he said, letting out a sigh of relief that she wasn't running for the hills, even after what he'd told her. "I'm perfectly safe to be around as long as I'm conscious. I just wanted to tell you the truth, Kinana. That's all."

"You could have told me sooner," she told him, a mild note of reproach finally entering her voice. "I would have understood."

"I know," he said quietly. "But I want you to know that I'm not sharing this secret with just anybody- I have to trust them, more than anyone else I know. I know you see me as Gorun, but the rest of the world would only see me as the Saiyan monster, come to destroy them all." There was note of bitterness in his voice, born from the hatred of his ancestors' violent crimes.

"Hey," Kinana said, her voice softer and kinder than Gorun had ever heard it. The next thing he knew, her lips had claimed his, and for a second, all he knew was gentleness and warmth.

Then the moment passed, and she pulled back to let him see her smile as she said, "Like I told you before- you have the Fairy Tail mark, Gorun. That means your past doesn't matter. Who you are now is what matters. Alien or human, I'm seeing you the same way I always have."

It took him a moment to find his voice, and when he did, he was barely able to say, "Then… I-I think I know what I want to be."

"Yeah?"

"I wanna be your boyfriend, Kinana," he breathed, his head still reeling from the chaste kiss she'd given him. "Would that be okay?"

"Gorun, that would be wonderful," she laughed before leaning in to kiss him again.

"Wait, hold on!" Gorun squawked, leaning back just so that she couldn't reach her intended target.

"Aw come on!" she pouted. "You gotta stop doing that!"

"One more question!" he pleaded.

"Make it fast," she told him.

"Forgive me for not telling you sooner?" he asked quickly.

Again, she laughed at him, making him flush with embarrassment. "Of course I forgive you," she told him. "Why bring it up _right now_ though?"

"Closure," he grinned. This time, _he_ started the kiss. Just for good measure, he let his tail out of its hiding place and wrapped it around the small of her back, pulling her even closer to him. When she pulled back, he was pleased to see that the appearance of his tail didn't frighten her away.

Kinana looked like she was about to say something, but they both froze in place when they heard Natsu yell, "Gorun has a tail?! That's so cool!" They whirled around to see Natsu, who was grinning like an idiot, accompanied by Lucy, Gray, and Happy, the other two humans looking shocked.

Happy, on the other hand, seemed to think that the whole thing was funny. "Duh, Natsu," he said dismissively. "Everyone knows that the coolest members in the guild have a tail."

"I'm gonna assume you're talking about Pantherlily, because we all _know_ you're not talking about you!" Lucy told him. "Also, _what the heck?!_ "

"I should say the same thing!" Gorun snapped, face red as he tried to figure out how long they had been standing there. "I told you guys to let me and Kinana have a moment!" His tail lashed back and forth, reflecting his outrage.

"Dude, it's almost two in the morning!" Gray replied. "You've had a lot of moments!"

"Speaking of time…" Kinana said, her face redder than Lucy's dress. "How long… have you all been standing there?"

"Right when he kissed you," Lucy replied, still staring at Gorun's tail, seemingly oblivious to its owner's angry face. "I was about to turn back, but then I saw the tail come out and…" She shrugged helplessly. "Sorry to ruin the moment, I really am… But _what the heck_?!" As she shouted, she pointed at the offending limb again.

"Hey!" Gorun growled. "I'm not a zoo exhibit!"

"Are you part monkey?!" Natsu asked, sniffing more closely at Gorun, as if hoping to uncover the secret that way. "I thought you smelled a little off!"

"I'm mostly human!" Gorun snapped. "The other part is _alien_ biology! Oh, and by the way, no one but Kinana was supposed to know about this!" He was mad. For a moment, everything had seemed perfect in his world. Now, it seemed as though his most closely guarded secret was about to become Fairy Tail's number one gossip topic.

"Why?" Natsu asked, still looking like a child at the zoo. "I think it's awesome!"

"I don't!" Gorun growled. "Do you have any idea how many people my ancestors slaughtered?! I may be strong because of them, but if you knew anything about the Saiyan race, you'd know there's very little to be proud of!"

"Gorun, how could they know?" Kinana said, her calm voice soothing his agitated mind. "I only just found out a few minutes ago. If your tail is embarrassing to you, I'm sure Lucy and the others will respect your wishes not to talk about it."

"You're gonna vouch for Natsu on that?" the boy asked blandly.

"Hey!"

"Yes, I will," Kinana smiled at her boyfriend. "He's known what it's like to have something hurt when people talk about it. He won't tell anyone if you ask him not to."

Gorun narrowed his eyes before turning to Natsu and Happy, who were giggling to themselves. _This does not inspire confidence,_ he thought. Out loud, however, he said, "Look… I don't want people knowing about this… not yet, anyway. Any chance you all could keep this quiet?"

"Yeah, if you don't wanna talk about it, I understand," Lucy nodded immediately. "We all have things we'd rather keep buried." Gorun felt an immediate surge of relief as he realized that she was in earnest. Then she kind of ruined the effect by staring at his tail and muttering, "Seriously, what the heck?"

"Same here," Gray agreed, ignoring Lucy's last comment. "My lips are sealed, man. But just a piece of advice?"

"Yeah?" Gorun asked warily.

"No one in Fairy Tail would treat you any different if they knew," Gray told him. "You have the mark, you're one of us."

"Gee, where have I heard that before?" Kinana pretended to wonder aloud.

"All right, all right, I get it," Gorun groaned, exhausted. "Just… Let me reveal it in my own time, okay?"

"Of course," the purple-haired beauty said patiently.

Turning to Natsu and his partner, Gorun said, "Okay, Natsu, I know you have a lot of questions, but-"

"Fight me!" Natsu suddenly exclaimed.

"Eh?" Gorun blanked.

"Fight me, and we'll keep your secret!" the pinkette demanded.

Gorun looked blankly at Lucy, who sighed heavily. "Yeah, he's serious," she deadpanned.

He made up his mind in less than an instant. "Deal," he agreed. "Tomorrow, before lunch. I fight you, you keep my secret."

"Hey, wait!" Happy protested. "What do I get out of this?"

"I won't kick you to the next continent for helping interrupt my moment with Kinana," Gorun replied with a thin smile. "Sound good?"

"Aye, sir!"

"One other thing…" Gorun said as his eyes narrowed. "Why did you come looking for us in the first place? The party doesn't actually end until the sun comes up. It's not like we have to leave yet."

"Umm…" Lucy hesitated. "If I give you some bad news, will you blow anything up?"

"Depends…" Gorun said slowly, not liking her tone. "How bad is it?"

"The job's a bust," Gray said bluntly, causing Lucy to squawk in alarm. "The count won't pay us cos he's not happy with the way things turned out tonight."

"…What?" Gorun asked, his left eye twitching.

"We're not getting paid," Gray shrugged. "Sometimes these things just happen, man."

"Oh, hell no!" the Saiyan teenager snapped. "We're not leaving without that money! We did the job, we're getting paid!" He tucked his tail back into its hiding place and began to storm towards the entrance.

"Hold on a minute!" Lucy protested. "You can't just force the Count to pay us! That's extortion!"

Gorun stopped where he was and turned to look at the blonde mage incredulously. "Wait, did you seriously think I was gonna go beat the cash out of him? What kind of monster do you take me for?!"

"Gorun, what did you have in mind?" Kinana asked, trying to keep him calm with her tone.

"I was just gonna tell him that if _doesn't_ pay, he'll have a magical enforcement unit headed his way to make sure he shares a cell with Velveno," Gorun said with a wicked grin. "Mirajane has a copy of the contract, and if we fulfilled all the objectives that it outlined, Balsamico is obligated under penalty of law to pay us."

"Wait, that's a thing?" Lucy asked, eyes wide. Apparently she had never heard of this before.

"Yeah, it's according to the country's law," Gorun said with a slight frown. "I read part of the nation's constitution about a year back, at least the bit that concerned hiring wizards. If we did the job, he _has_ to pay us, or he does jail time." Turning to Kinana, he took a deep breath to calm himself further before reaching out a hand to his date and saying, "What do you say we go and offer our congratulations to Miss Aceto on her engagement?"

Kinana walked over and took his hand in hers before frowning slightly and asking, "Wait, are we actually going to congratulate her, or are we going to confront her father?"

"Can we do both?"

* * *

All being told, Fairy Tail made some good memories that night. Two of their younger wizards came to be together, a man was finally freed from the guilt he had carried for years, and those that had gone out on the job all walked away several hundred thousand jewel richer.

To think, not even a single damage report was filed.

"You know, Master," Gildarts said as he watched Makarov and Macao go over the paperwork that had resulted from needing to split the large sum into ten equal portions- the last one-tenth going to the guild, as was the norm. "You might look at making that Gorun kid S-class. He's talented and more than strong enough from what I could tell."

Normally at this point, Makarov or Macao would be going through damage reports, and figuring out how much of the job's payout he would have to deduct from the responsible mage's cut, but this time, there was nothing to be taken away. While it certainly made things easier for the men, it did not sway the stubborn third master of the guild.

"He'll have his chance when we next hold the trials," the white-haired man shrugged. "None of these brats have ever received special treatment before, and I'm not about to start now."

"Well, I mean, if anyone did deserve it, it's Gorun," Macao argued, putting down his folder. "He practically carried us for the last year- if it wasn't for him, we'd have been in an even worse financial situation than we ended up in. He even managed to bring back some clients that were ready to give up on us."

"You were the master for seven years, Macao, why not make him S-class yourself?" Makarov challenged.

"Well, we weren't really receiving any S-Class jobs at the time, so I figured it didn't really make any sense to say anything about it," the purple-haired man replied with a grimace. "But now that word's getting out that we have you guys back, we've actually had a couple of S-Class requests put to Mira."

"Hmm…" Makarov mused with interest. "I have nothing against the lad, don't get me wrong. I quite like him, in fact. But traditions have existed in our guild for a reason, and I see nothing to convince me that the boy should be allowed to bypass what everyone else that's earned the S-class title has had to go through."

"All right, all right," Gildarts sighed. "Just thought I'd mention it to you."

"Thank you for bringing it up, Gildarts," Makarov acknowledged. "Now, where's that chart for this month's earnings got to…?"

* * *

 **Closing Song: You'll Never Be Alone by Capital Kings**

 **Mataras: Whew... I think that was my longest chapter for this story so far.**

 **Gorun: Yeah man, you went over 13,000 words... You doing okay?**

 **Mataras: Oh, I'm fine. I'm actually quite happy about the way that this turned out, especially for you and Kinana.**

 **Gorun: Yeah, thanks man! Though- and I'm not complaining by a long shot- I was wondering why you just went ahead and had us become a couple relatively quickly?**

 **Mataras: Ah, that. Well, to be frank, I think that if there's good history and chemistry between a boy and a girl, they should just go for it. Delaying things usually just adds up to being unnecessary drama, which can make for a story that many find enjoyable, I personally don't. I've always preferred to be direct and concise.**

 **Gorun: Can't say I disagree, though sometimes you seem to take a little too far. There's a such thing as being tactful, or at least trying to be sensitive.**

 **Mataras: Why?**

 **Gorun: Okay, that's a conversation for another time, I guess. When can we expect another chapter? I think some of our readers were a little put off by the fact that we didn't give them a solid date last time.**

 **Mataras: Should be by the end of May, but readers of The Red Swordsman: Shattered Fragment should be looking for something in the way of a new chapter in a few days.**

 **Gorun: Oh? Another story of yours?**

 **Mataras: Indeed, and one that I have let sit idle for too long. My wife is helping me proofread before the release, but we should be done with it soon.**

 **Gorun: I'm glad to see that you are remembering your other readers, and I hope that they will welcome your return.**

 **Mataras: As do I. Until next time, my friends!**

 **Gorun: Next time- Reach for the Stars.**

* * *

 **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**

"You speak as though it's over," she smirked, already knowing how to counter his best attack.

"It will be in a second," he called down.

"I've seen this attack of yours, and despite the fact that I cannot match its strength, I can certainly endure it," she told him as she engaged a requip. When it was done, she stood clad confidently in her Adamantine Armor. "This can withstand a direct shot from a Jupiter Cannon- and I doubt even you can output that much power, Gorun!"

"Then get ready for a world of disappointment!" he laughed as the energy in his hands flared even brighter. In addition to this, more red magic circles appeared above his head. "Ten layer magic circle: _Kai… o… KEN!_ " The red aura surrounding him was practically coming alive with energy while the blue ball in his hands continued to grow.

Erza sensed the energy gathering above and continued to smile- finally, she had a way to beat Gorun. He was strong, certainly, and perhaps she would even emerge with bruises from this session, but he was clearly not on the level of a Jupiter Cannon. She slammed the two halves of her shield together and shouted, "Bring it on, Gorun! Show me what it is you can do!"

Chest heaving, heart pounding, Gorun responded to the challenge. " _Ka…me… ha… me…_ " he growled out, every breath a labor now. The last time he'd used the Kaioken ten times, he had been floored for nearly three days, but he'd gained a significant zenkai boost from the ordeal. He noticed that it wasn't as hard to wield as last time, but he was still going to spend the rest of the day taking it easy.

 _But first I beat her,_ he promised himself. Drawing in a deep breath, he finished gathering up the magic formula in his head and roared, releasing the pent-up energy in a titanic blue beam. " _HAAAAAAA!_ "


	4. Reach for the Stars

**A/N: Hullo, one and all, I hope you had a pleasant Memorial Day Weekend. I would have had this out sooner, but I had work and other junk getting in the way... In any case, I'll let you get on to the fun part in just a moment!**

 **Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who left a review over the last couple of chapters, and to remind you that I have begun putting up response videos on my YouTube channel. The last one covered chapters two and three, and I was joined by my wife since she is the editor storyboard consultant for this fic. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, I'd be happy to answer them in the next video that will cover any reviews put up for this chapter!**

 **Now, on with the Fairy Tail!**

 **OP Song: Reach for the Stars by Shirley Bassey**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 1_

 **Reach for the Stars**

"Just so you know, I'm not going to be held responsible for what happens when I kick your sorry butt," Gorun told Natsu as they squared off in the yard. "You really sure you wanna do this?"

"Haha, yeah I do!" Natsu laughed. "I've been all fired up since yesterday just thinkin' about throwin' down with ya!"

"I don't remember when was the last time I saw Natsu so excited about a fight," Lucy muttered from the sidelines. She, Kinana, Gray, Wendy, and the two younger exceeds of Fairy Tail were waiting for the match to start.

"He was pretty fired up when he fought Gildarts," Happy remarked. "Hopefully this fight will go a little better than that one did."

"I doubt it," Kinana giggled. "Gorun's pretty fierce when he fights. He's never failed a job since he started working for the guild, and most of them were pretty crazy picks."

"I haven't seen much of this Gorun fellow, but if I know one thing about the Salamander, it's that he's quite tenacious in battle," Carla mused. Lucy and the others looked at the white cat in surprise, causing her to raise an eyebrow and ask, "What?"

"N-Nothing!" Wendy exclaimed. "It's just that you usually don't say anything nice about Natsu…"

"Oh?" Carla shrugged. "I was simply stating the facts, there was nothing personal about it."

"What's going on out here?" Max asked curiously as he approached from inside the guild hall. He was followed by Warren and Nab, who looked over at Natsu and Gorun, who were both stretching their limbs in preparation for combat.

"Natsu and Gorun are gonna do a little sparring," Gray answered. "It's perfect weather for some outdoor activity, don't you think?"

"Natsu is… gonna fight Gorun?" Warren asked, paling.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Lucy asked. "Natsu's a strong wizard, I'm sure he'll be fine. He gave Hades quite the beat down seven years ago."

"Key phrase there being 'seven years ago," Max winced. "I think Natsu may be in over his head."

"Hey! Get ready to eat those words!" Natsu shouted at him, and they all realized that he had been listening in on them. "After I roast Gorun, you turkeys are next!"

"If you can manage a fight with Happy after a match with Gorun, I'll have seen everything," Max laughed.

"Huh?" Natsu and Happy exclaimed. "What's that supposed to mean?!" the blue cat demanded.

"All right, talk time over!" Gorun called out. "Ready, Natsu?"

"Hehe, yeah! I'm all fired up!" the pinkette laughed as he ignited his fists.

"Please don't hurt him too bad!" Kinana called out.

"Isn't my girlfriend supposed to wish me luck?" Gorun asked, cocking his head slightly.

"You don't need it, now seriously, be nice!" she told him.

"Aw, fine," he sighed. Refocusing his attention on Natsu, he called out, "Your move, Salamander!"

"Fire Dragon _Iron Fist!_ " Natsu shot forward like a flaming bullet, his fist aimed to send Gorun to the nearest dentist's office. Gorun's eyes narrowed briefly before he sidestepped the attack, grabbed Natsu by the wrist and used his arm like a lever to throw him in the dirt hard enough to leave a small crater.

"Wha-?!" Natus yelped before he noticed the yellow ki blast about to knock his lights out. Lighting up his feet with his magic, he kicked at the energy bolt as it launched, causing an explosion that threw up dust and temporarily blocked his view of Gorun.

Off to the side, the members of the Tenrou team were shocked. "I've only seen a few people match Natsu's speed so effortlessly," Gray muttered. "I saw his power on display at the Magic Ball, but his level of control is crazy good, too."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Kinana grinned. "That show he put on last night was only a fraction of his full power."

"Are you talking about that magic power amplification thing he did?" Lucy asked as Natsu launched a Brilliant Flame attack through the dust. It was cancelled by a Big Bang Attack that set everyone's ears ringing from the force of the explosion, and forced them to shield their eyes against the dust and wind.

"Not bad," they heard Gorun call through the dust. "You're definitely more on-point than I expected from someone who spent seven years in stasis."

"Hah! I wasn't in the S-class trials for nothing!" Natsu laughed as the dirt in the air began to clear. "And I'm just getting' started!"

"So am I," Gorun smirked, setting his feet wide and taking a deep breath. "Three layer magic circle: _Kaioken!_ " The magic blazed to life, and they all sensed his magic power increase.

"Kaio-what?" Natsu asked. His answer was a beating delivered so rapidly, the onlookers couldn't keep track of the individual punches that sent the dragon slayer sprawling in the dust. Far from giving up, though, Natsu leaped to his feet, looking mad. "Okay, now you're just pissing me off!" He let loose with a wing attack, one that actually forced Gorun to leap backwards to avoid getting burnt.

Sensing an opportunity to advance, Natsu took it, launching himself forward again, shouting, "Fire Dragon _Iron Fist_!"

" _Barrier_!" Gorun shouted in return, a blue force field taking shape in between him and Natsu's attack.

"Rrrgh…!" Natsu strained, trying to shatter the energy with his fire magic.

"That all you got?!" Gorun taunted him. "C'mon, Salamander! Everyone told me stories of your destructive powers! Don't tell me they just got exaggerated in your absence!"

This seemed to strike a nerve with Natsu, because he let out a scream of such fury that the onlookers did a double-take as he leaped backwards to give himself space. "You want destruction?!" he spat. "I'll give you a show you'll _never_ forget!"

"Then do it!" Gorun laughed, preparing the magic formula in his head again.

Flames bellowed from where Natsu stood, but now Gorun sensed a new movement in his power- and it was visible in the form of the lightning that danced in his fire. _"Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!_ " he screamed at the top his lungs.

"That's new," Gorun muttered, intrigued. He'd never seen a wizard capable of wielding two elements simultaneously. _Guess I better play this one safe._ "Five layer magic circle, _Kaioken!_ " The red aura surrounding his body flared with new life, and he felt his heartrate accelerating with the strain of the technique beginning to affect him.

"Wait, he can push that spell even further?!" Lucy shouted in shock. "How many times can he use it in one go?!"

"I've seen him go up to ten magic circles, but that puts a serious strain on his body!" Kinana shouted to be heard above the roaring energies. "He usually doesn't go above three, so I guess Natsu really is about to use something pretty amazing!"

She was not wrong.

" _Lightning Flame Dragon ROAR_!" Natsu bellowed, a plasma blast erupting from his maw in a path so wide, it would have swallowed a house whole.

At least, it would have if Gorun hadn't acted then. " _KamehameHAAAAA!_ " He screamed, the blue light shining from his hands to counter and then push back the oncoming electric flames like a tidal wave. The incredible energy blasts were at a stalemate for a moment, but in the end, Gorun's energy reserves far outlasted Natsu's.

The Kamehameha wave engulfed Natsu for a second before the energy surge ceased flowing from Gorun's hands, leaving a very bruised and very shaken Natsu lying on the ground, stunned into silence. Or was it…?

"Okay, before anyone freaks out, I didn't knock him out," Gorun said as he released the Kaioken, taking deep breaths to settle his erratic heartbeat. "He did it to himself."

"How?!" Happy demanded as he flew over to check on his friend, Wendy close behind him. "You totally blasted him with your crazy death laser!"

"First of all, it's not a death laser," Gorun sniffed, slightly offended at the crude description of his favored attack. "Second, he knocked himself out from magic power depletion- at least, a mild version of it."

"He used too much energy in one go," Lucy realized aloud while Wendy focused on healing the downed slayer. "Makes sense, the same thing happened last time he tried to use it. But wait, how are you still standing after a crazy spell like that?!"

"A lot of practice," Gorun laughed softly. "I've been using those techniques on a daily basis since I was a little kid." He embraced Kinana from the side as she came up to give him a hug.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked him urgently. "Using it that much puts a strain on your heart, doesn't it?"

"Nothing that a good meal and a sit-down in a chair won't fix," he grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. "Natsu put up a good fight- I'm impressed with him."

"Aye, sir!" Happy said with a salute in Gorun's direction. "Natsu's a tough customer!"

"All right, who's next?!" the boy suddenly shouted, wide awake and sitting up with his fists raised. "I'll take the whole guild on!"

"You lost, flame-brain," Gray muttered, though his mind seemed to be elsewhere. "Give it a rest."

"I'll give you a rest!" Natsu shouted, on his feet in a flash.

"Natsu, don't you think you've had enough fighting for today?" Lucy asked nervously.

"Well, I guess I've seen everything," Max muttered, looking surprised as Natsu and Gray started to wrestle in the dirt. "I faced that attack myself when Gorun first joined, and I thought it'd kill me if I took it head-on like that."

"To be fair, Natsu is a dragon slayer," Lucy laughed a bit. "I don't think he'd know how to die if it came to it."

* * *

"Well, at least they remembered to keep up their end of the bargain," Kinana said as she sat down next to her boyfriend at one of the guild hall's tables. She set down a platter of food piled high with his favorites and slid it towards him. "And you did manage not to completely trash the farm- and Natsu. I'd say that job was a success."

"Thanks," he grinned before he dug in, hungrily tearing apart the roast beef and mashed potatoes. Every few seconds he'd pause to take a drink or breathe before going back to demolishing his plate. Even though he was more polite and kinder than the average Saiyan, Gorun still possessed that black hole that they all called a stomach, which demanded it be filled as quickly as possible.

"My goodness, I don't think I've ever seen anyone eat that fast," Mirajane said as she came to collect his plate. "And that's coming from someone who's seen Natsu eat hundreds of times."

"Most of my job money goes to food," Gorun admitted with a grin. "Although after that job capturing Velveno, I don't need to take another job for some time."

"Planning on going on a vacation?" Mira asked with grin. "Bring someone special along…?" She gave him and Kinana a suggestive wink that set them both to blushing.

"A-Actually, I was thinking about dedicating my free time to some hardcore training," Gorun replied, looking very closely at the bottom of his mug.

"Training?" Lisanna, Mira's younger sister, interjected as she strode up to the table, having just come back from a job. "Why's that? From what we've heard, you're pretty much the guild's strongest wizard other than Gildarts."

Gorun laughed lightly before saying, "Training never hurt anyone, Miss Strauss. Besides, settling for second place doesn't sit well with me- actually, third place if I'm being honest."

"Wait, who else is stronger than you in the guild?" Mirajane asked.

"Master Makarov, right?" Kinana guessed, to which Gorun nodded.

"I'd be hard-pressed to beat him, that's even _if_ I could," he admitted. "Not to mention his grandson would give me a solid run for my money."

"Laxus?" Lisanna asked, surprised. "He's stronger than you?"

"Not by a lot," Gorun shrugged. "But he is. The point is, I want to train until I could take on Gildarts and come out victorious. Maybe even go beyond that."

"You're talking reaching the level of a Wizard-Saint," Kinana murmured softly. "And those guys are the top ten in Fiore- maybe even the world."

"Top ten _registered_ wizards, maybe," Gorun shrugged again. "Last I checked, Gildarts wasn't one of them, and I know for a fact that he's stronger than most of the people with that title. Although that Jura fellow seemed to be about on par with him in terms of raw power."

"Oh wow," Mirajane said, eyes wide. "I knew he was one of the Wizard-Saints, but I had no idea he'd grown that much in the seven years we were gone."

"Well no offense, but did you think that everyone just rested around while you guys were gone?" Gorun smiled wanly. "You might have been the top dogs back in the day, and don't get me wrong, you'll still put the average wizard to shame. However, most of your friends that came to visit us the other day all outclass you now. As in it's not even close."

"Yikes," Lisanna winced. "When you put it that way, it sounds like all of us should be focused on playing catch-up like you want to catch up to Gildarts and the rest of them."

"Hey, maybe the guild can go on a retreat, get some solid training in," Gorun suggested. "I'd even be willing to train some people if they wanted."

"That sounds like fun, I'll talk to the master about it," Mira grinned. "And if we end up going to a beach or something, I'm sure there'd be plenty of opportunities for romantic walks and-"

"This conversation is now over!" Gorun cried, standing up abruptly and grabbing his girlfriend's hand in order to lead her away from Mirajane's gossip-hungry ears.

* * *

The two of them spent the day simply strolling through Magnolia, enjoying the sights and entering any shop that struck their fancy. It wasn't a planned date, but neither one of them minded. In some ways, it was more fun just to see where their feet would carry them. It wasn't until the sun was nearly set in the horizon that they returned to find the guild hall in an even bigger disarray than usual, which could only mean one thing.

"So, what are celebrating?" he asked as they walked in, arm-in-arm.

"Laxus is back in the guild!" Freed shouted, raising a mug filled with beer of some sort, because he was clearly drunk.

"My old man is gone!" Cana laughed, tipping the barrel she had claimed for herself in an imitation of a toast.

"Makarov is the guild master again!" Macao cheered from another table.

"And you're the newest S-class mage of Fairy Tail! _Hiccup_ , hooray!" Makarov slurred before his face met the table and he passed out.

"Man, how many of those has he had?" Gorun laughed.

"Not enough to be wrong," Erza said as she walked up to greet the pair. "Congratulations, Gorun. You're the newest elite mage of our family."

The boy blinked a couple of times at the redhead in disbelief. "Wait, he's serious?!" he asked, eyes wide. "But I thought that there was a trial that I had to pass or something!"

"Things got a little crazy today, so I'll give you the short version," Erza smiled. "Gildarts was supposed to be the new guild master, but he only took the position long enough to reinstate Laxus and make you S-class before handing the job back over to Master Makarov."

"Don't forget the last part!" Mirajane said as she approached with a big smile. "We're entering the Grand Magic Games this year to try and reclaim our position as Fiore's number one guild."

"The Grand Magic Games?" Gorun chuckled. "Er, no offense, but I don't think the guild is exactly ready to-"

"The games are in three months, and Master is making arrangements for all of us to go to places outside of Magnolia to train nonstop until then," Erza interrupted him.

"Three months of hardcore, uninterrupted training?" Gorun asked with a light of delight in his eye. "Count me in!"

"That's the spirit!" Mira smiled again. "Congratulations on your promotion to S-class, by the way. We're all proud of you, even if some of us are too tipsy to say it right now."

"Thanks," Gorun chuckled as he rubbed his neck sheepishly. _S-class… wow._

As Erza walked away with the promise of filling him in on the details of the training plans later, and Mira went back to tend to the bar, Kinana stood up on her tiptoes to kiss her boyfriend briefly before saying, "I'm really proud of you, Gorun. You deserve this."

"Thanks, Kinana," he grinned, still turning a bit red when she kissed him in public. "Will you come train with me for the Grand Magic Games?" He had missed the guild's last, dismal attempt to compete due to a job that had lasted him a few weeks during the previous summer. Now the thought of a competition where he could potentially let loose with his full power had him very excited.

"Of course I'll go," she smiled sweetly. "Just don't expect me to keep up with you."

"Don't sell yourself short," he said. "You're plenty strong- it'll just take some time to develop your power to its maximum potential." She giggled before giving him a kiss on his nose.

"Not everyone wants to be the strongest, Gorun," she reminded him. "I'm glad that I can use magic and be useful to Fairy Tail, but I don't want to be able to keep up with Gildarts like you do."

"Oh, right," he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I guess I just sort of assumed that you'd be there with me on my training the whole time."

"Hey, I said I'd go with you," she told him with a gentle shove. "Just don't expect me to be flying laps around the planet with you."

"As long as you're close to me, I'm happy with that," he said, his smile growing.

* * *

The guild was broken up into groups of varying size in order to train for the upcoming Grand Magic Games. Makarov sent a notice to the Magic Council that would put the guild as an organization on hold for receiving job notices from then until mid-July. He also called in a few favors from old contacts that he still knew in order to provide lodging for the different teams while they left Magnolia to train.

Max, Warren, Vijeeter, and Nab went to the countryside while Bisca, Alzack, their daughter, and Laki left for some of the woodlands to hone their skills. The Thunder Legion and Laxus went to a city in the northern reaches of the country. The smallest group consisted only of Gajeel and Pantherlily, who went somewhere in the mountains to train. The Strauss siblings and Cana also took to a more mountainous terrain to practice their magic, though it was a different area than where the Iron Dragon Slayer and his exceed were going.

The last group was massive in comparison. It consisted of Teams Natsu and ShadowGear, plus Juvia, Kinana, and Gorun, all of them planning to spend the next three months at Akane Beach.

The Saiyan boy offered to train with everybody if they wanted to. Erza immediately agreed to practice with him, since she was eager to see how her newest peers' skills matched her own. After all, they were both S-class, and she felt it was her duty to have an idea of how dependable he would be in the days to come. Also, while Natsu was nearly her equal in terms of raw power, she had much more control over her abilities than he did, which meant that she would likely make the best workout partner for him.

The day that they arrived at the beach, they were all quick to check into their rooms- boys in one and girls in another- before changing into their beach attire and running outside to check out the resort.

"Nice digs," Gorun nodded as he looked around at the pristine blue water, the sheer cliffs a few miles up, the tropical jungle faunas, and the fine sand beach. "Plenty of places to train out here." In his typical fashion, he was wearing a blue-and-green camouflage-style swimsuit that still kept his tail hidden.

"We're not here to sightsee, we're here to train," Droy said haughtily.

"Don't forget it," Jet added.

"Right, when you two make S-class, let me know- I'll join you on your workout regime," the Saiyan sniggered as he glanced pointedly at Droy's large frame.

" _He_ might be a tub of lard, but there's nobody faster than me," Jet said confidently, much to his friend's irritation. No sooner had he said it than he was bowled over by Natsu and Gray, who were shouting something about a swimming contest.

"You know, there's about twenty different ironic jokes that I could make right about now, but that's beneath me," Gorun grinned as the pair picked themselves up, grumbling after the fire and ice wizards.

"Don't worry about it," Erza said from where she was standing in the water, clad in a black bikini. "There's plenty of time to train- we'll play hard, work hard, sleep hard, and eat hard!" She leaned back to recline in a yellow floaty, apparently content to spend the first day working on a tan.

"What about train hard?" Jet asked, though his tone was greatly reduced in hostility from when he had tried to reprimand Gorun. Apparently the Titania was still more feared by the menfolk of the guild that the newest S-class mage.

"Whaddya think she meant by working hard?" Gorun grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Also, training can be really fun if you know what you're doing."

"How do you figure that?" Droy asked grouchily.

"All right, here's a demonstration," the Saiyan smirked, getting a little tired of their attitudes. After all, they'd had seven years to train, and unlike Max and Warren, they'd done little to improve their abilities. In the eyes of a warrior like him, that kind of inaction was anathema.

"Basic combat one-oh-one," he said, raising his palms above his head. "Dodging."

"Wait, what?" Jet asked, sweat lining his brow.

"You claim to be the fastest in Fairy Tail, which might be true if I wasn't around, and only when running in a straight line," Gorun said, maintaining his smirk. "Your reflexes leave a lot to be desired. Now… _Dodge!_ " He hurled a Masenko blast at the speed mage, who barely dashed out of the way in time.

"That all you got?" he taunted the young Saiyan.

"You never wanna see all I've got," Gorun muttered under his breath before spamming Jet with ki blasts. The older mage dodged the first couple of energy bolts, but he was quickly overwhelmed and sent sprawling in the sand, smoke coming off of his body.

Gorun raised his eyebrows at Droy, as if inviting him to challenge the new S-class mage. The plant mage, however, had seen enough. He laughed nervously as he turned around and went to check on his fallen teammate, whistling some random tune that just further showed how tempted he was to make a run for it.

The Saiyan sighed heavily to himself and muttered, "All bark, no bite, those two. Shame, really. They have decent potential, if only they'd actually do something other than just maintain their current level."

"That's one of the reasons you've become S-class, even though you've been part of the guild for a relatively short time." Gorun was slightly startled to notice that Erza had come up behind him, and had likely been watching the entire thing. She smiled at him and added, "You have the drive to push yourself beyond your current limits, and aim for heights that others only ever dream of, never actually try to reach."

"It's not in my nature to be satisfied with where I'm at," Gorun shrugged.

"Well, if you would rather a better practice partner, I suppose we can do some sparring if you have the time," Erza offered. "I've seen very little of you in action, and I'd like to see what you're really made of, Gorun."

"Now, Erza, I saw him first," said a familiar voice. As the two elite wizards turned towards Kinana, she added, "I was promised a walk on the beach _before_ any potential injuries."

"Hi Kinana, I- Oh, wow…" Gorun stopped, openmouthed like when Kinana had approached him on the dance floor at the Balsamico's Magic Ball. She was dressed in a two-piece forest green bathing suit that was similar in style to Erza's own attire. The Saiyan boy was finding it very difficult to speak, and even harder not to stare- she looked very nice in beach getup, he thought.

"I bought it for the trip," Kinana said while blushing at the attention he was giving her. "I take it from the face you're making that you like it?"

"Y-Yeah!" he said quickly. "It looks good on you- as do a lot of things, I'm sure. I mean, I can't really think of anything that would make you look bad- you're just amazing in general… I'm rambling aren't I?"

"Just a bit, but I can understand why," Erza chuckled. "You've got quite the catch, Gorun. Treat her well."

"I will," he grinned back while taking hold of Kinana's hand. "Mind if we save the training session for after lunch? I do have a promise to keep."

"Of course," Erza nodded. "Go, have fun."

"Thanks, Erza," Kinana said as she and Gorun began to walk down the beach.

* * *

The walk was pleasant, and the company was even more so, Gorun thought later that day. It was probably the first time in his life that he felt a tinge of regret as he headed off to train. Sure, he might have been a reluctant Time-Patroller-in-training, but combat practice had always been fun for him. Now, as he watched Kinana walk away while humming a merry tune, he almost felt tempted to skive off from the training he had committed to.

 _No, no, nope!_ He thought with a vigorous shake of his head. _Gotta get trained up for the tournament and what lies beyond it._

He found Erza swinging two of her swords at practice dummies that she had created out of palm trees on a more isolated part of the beach, where there were currently no other people. He watched her work for a few moments, taking note of patterns that he could later exploit before deciding to make himself known. "You're swinging too hard on the follow-through for those backhand strokes," he said casually as he walked towards her.

His sudden and silent appearance startled her, causing her to swing her blade at his neck with unrestrained vigor. Fortunately, his reflexes were faster than lightning, which enabled him to catch the sword between his fingertips while simply raising his eyebrows. The sudden cessation of momentum caused the redhead to lose her balance and forced her to let go of the sword as she tried to regain her balance.

Gorun thought about pressing an attack to further his point, but he simply grinned at her and said, "I trust that you see the problem with putting too much force into any one blow?" He flipped the sword in his grip so that he caught it by the handle as he spoke.

"I believe in putting everything you have into whatever it is you are doing," Erza replied breathlessly as she realized that she was not under attack. "If you aren't fully committed to the task at hand, why bother even trying?"

"Committing your complete resolve and committing excess energy to a single task are usually counterproductive," Gorun argued as he tossed the sword back to its owner. "If you miss your target, like you did just now, you're horribly open to attack."

"I usually don't miss," Erza replied.

"Usually isn't good enough," Gorun said with a shake of his head. "You're talented, I'll admit that, and plenty strong, but with room to grow."

"You speak as though from experience," Erza said with a slight frown. "That or overconfidence."

Gorun's eyes lit up with a challenging spark as he asked, "Is that a challenge, Titania Erza? You think I'm full of it?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Erza shrugged. "Most people in the guild don't have the gall to criticize my fighting style while I'm beating them senseless, so I suppose it could be that I'm not used to being analyzed like this. Either way, you did say that you would like to spar with me, so let's have at it." There was a bright flare of light that shielded her body from view, and when it faded, she was wearing her Heaven's Wheel armor.

Gorun noticed the spike in her power level and decided to respond appropriately. Five red magic circles appeared overhead for a brief instant before they empowered the boy, who waited for a couple of moments to get used to his accelerated heartbeat.

"Ready, Erza?" he asked as he settled into his combat stance.

"I am," she answered, even as two-dozen swords appeared around her, all of them leveled at him, and ready to fly at her command. "May the best wizard win!"

" _Barrier!_ " he shouted as her blades began to shoot towards him. All of them bounced off the blue energy field harmlessly, none of them even denting his protective measure. "That all you got?" he laughed. He could already tell that this was going to be fun.

" _Requip_!" he heard Erza shout, just before a gigantic spear was thrown into his shield, nearly forcing its way through the energy field, though it too dropped to the ground, useless against his defense.

As soon as it did, he launched himself forwards, taking flight while lowering the energy field. He threw a right hook at where he had seen Erza's blurred face through the energy barrier, and was met with a massive yellow-and-blue gauntlet that actually checked the force of his blow, surprising him a bit.

"How do you like my Giant Armor?" Erza grinned as she quickly grabbed his wrist and swung him up, over, and down into the beach. "It's my strongest physical enhancement armor."

"Not… exactly," Gorun gasped, though he managed a weak laugh, despite the wind being knocked out of him. He recognized a familiar shift in her power level, and it was almost identical with a mistake born during the age of Perfect Cell while his ancestor, Trunks, strove to defeat the bug-man. "That armor has a gaping weakness."

"Oh?" Erza asked as she tightened her grip, determined not to let him escape. "What's that?"

"Gimme a sec," he grunted as he felt the pressure on his arm increase. Willing himself to fly, he shot under her legs, forcing her to do a summersault and let go of him at the same time, despite her best efforts. Before she could pick herself up, he had delivered more than a dozen blows between one breath and the next and blasted her with a Double Sunday.

"Seeing it yet?" he asked her as she picked herself up with a groan. Her body glowed, and she was now clad in what was basically an armored bikini with giant wings- her Black Wing Armor, as he understood it.

"You seemed much faster for a moment there," she panted as she floated up to be a few yards above the ground, facing him again.

"Almost, but not quite," he grinned. "If you'll recall, I didn't amplify the Kaioken in that moment. Fact is, that armor does grant a respectable boost in strength, but you lose more speed than it's worth when you wear it."

"Interesting, I feel like I can learn quite a bit from fighting you," Erza smiled respectfully. "That won't stop me from trying to beat you, though. After all, I can't let Natsu see me defeated so easily!" She came at him at high speed, her sword coming up and glowing light blue. " _Black Wing Moon Slash!_ " she cried at the top of her lungs. Two energy arcs flew from her sword as she continued the charge, flying right at her opponent.

" _Kienzan!_ " Gorun bellowed in retaliation, the yellow disc forming above his hand before he hurled it at the oncoming wizard. The disc swiftly cut through the two oncoming blasts and continued on to shear through Erza's sword like a hot knife through butter, finally dissipating before it could harm the girl herself.

"Y-You… destroyed my sword!" Erza gaped as she stopped in the air and stared at the broken weapon. Her shock quickly turned to rage as she shouted, "Do you have any idea how long it's going to take to repair that?!"

"Hey, after my attack made mincemeat out of yours, you should've had the sense to dodge it instead of trying to muscle your way through," Gorun shrugged. "Were this the tournament, do you think one of our opponents is going to care if they break your equipment?"

Erza growled but conceded the point. She could see what he was trying to do, but it didn't make the loss of her sword any more acceptable. "I suppose I should take the kid gloves off," she smiled coldly. "You're clearly taking this seriously, so I suppose I should, too."

"What happened to giving a hundred percent to everything you do?" he laughed. "If you've been holding back, I guess there's not as much claim to your words as I thought."

"With each set of armor I don…" Erza replied as her body glowed while she lowered herself to the ground and stood on the beach once more. "…I have been pushing its abilities to the furthest that it can go against you. Yet you have shrugged everything off that I can throw at you so far."

"Ah," he grinned. "Well, to be fair, I suppose seven years of complete stasis would make anyone rusty."

"I am not rusty!" Erza shouted, a vein pulsing in her forehead. The light had faded, and she had donned her Purgatory Armor.

"Coulda fooled me," Gorun shrugged as he landed about twenty yards away from her, eyeing the black, spiky armor with caution. Unlike her other sets of armor, this was one he had seen before, even if it had only been a moment. Both then and now, he recognized just how much stronger it made her, and he knew that if she caught him a good blow with that mace as he was now, it was going to hurt. A lot.

" _Hyah!_ " Erza screamed as she ran at him, bringing the mace back for a full-powered blow to his chest, or maybe his head. She didn't really care which at this point, she just wanted to actually manage to hit the guy. It had been some time since she had been unable to land a hit on an opponent, and Gorun pointing out everything that she was doing wrong only wounded her pride as a warrior even more.

 _Yep, better play this one safe!_ He thought as he raised his right index and middle fingers to his forehead. He vanished just before her wickedly spiked club swiped through where he had been standing. Having been expecting him to at least dodge, Erza rammed her mace into the ground as soon as he disappeared to avoid overbalancing herself again.

"I gotta say, you learn quick," Gorun called from up above. Erza followed the sound of his voice and saw him floating directly overhead, about thirty meters up. Even more importantly, she saw the position that his hands were in, and the blue energy that was pooling between them. "This has been an interesting match, Erza- thanks."

"You speak as though it's over," she smirked, already knowing how to counter his best attack.

"It will be in a second," he called down.

"I've seen this attack of yours, and despite the fact that I cannot match its strength, I can certainly endure it," she told him as she engaged a requip. When it was done, she stood clad confidently in her Adamantine Armor. "This can withstand a direct shot from a Jupiter Cannon- and I doubt even you can output that much power, Gorun!"

"Then get ready for a world of disappointment!" he laughed as the energy in his hands flared even brighter. In addition to this, more red magic circles appeared above his head. "Ten layer magic circle: _Kai… o… KEN!_ " The red aura surrounding him was practically coming alive with energy while the blue ball in his hands continued to grow.

Erza sensed the energy gathering above and continued to smile- finally, she had a way to beat Gorun. He was strong, certainly, and perhaps she would even emerge with bruises from this session, but he was clearly not on the level of a Jupiter Cannon. She slammed the two halves of her shield together and shouted, "Bring it on, Gorun! Show me what it is you can do!"

Chest heaving, heart pounding, Gorun responded to the challenge. " _Ka…me… ha… me…_ " he growled out, every breath a labor now. The last time he'd used the Kaioken ten times, he had been floored for nearly three days, but he'd gained a significant zenkai boost from the ordeal. He noticed that it wasn't as hard to wield as last time, but he was still going to spend the rest of the day taking it easy.

 _But first I beat her,_ he promised himself. Drawing in a deep breath, he finished gathering up the magic formula in his head and roared, releasing the pent-up energy in a titanic blue beam. " _HAAAAAAA!_ "

The ki waves slammed into Erza's shield from above, causing her to grunt with the effort of holding it up against the attack, but she held fast. It felt like the old guild hall had been dropped on her armor, but the Titania of Fairy Tail refused to concede. She would not lose, even to another S-class like Gorun, despite his own amazing strength and stamina. She could outlast him, she knew she could.

Up above, Gorun felt sweat streaming out of every pore in his body. Her shield wasn't breaking like he had thought it would, and he wasn't going to last much longer as he was. _What is that stuff made of?!_ He wondered with wide eyes. _Not even a times ten Kaioken-Kamehameha is making her budge with that shield she has!_

He blinked away some sweat from his eyes, grinning wryly to himself. _And right after I lectured her about overcommitting to any one act,_ he thought with a bit of irony. _I suppose there's a time and a place for everything._

With that thought came an idea. It was a terrible idea, admittedly, but he knew from history that it would very likely work. _If I can pull off a times twenty…_ he thought, his muscles shaking and his chest feeling like it was going to burst. _A technique that was strong enough to injure Frieza himself… there's no way anything in this world can stand up to that unscathed, right?_

There was only one way to find out. Gorun knew it was a big risk, increasing the Kaioken that much- it could very well cause his heart to fail- but he knew that Goku and the other Saiyans throughout history had only gained significantly through big risks like this one.

 _I guess there are some things about my heritage that even I can't escape,_ he thought with a dry grin. _We Saiyans love taking stupid risks._

"Hey, Erza!" he called down.

"Yes?!" she called back.

"Last chance to give up, or I'm going to have to get serious!" he shouted.

"You're bluffing!" she called back without hesitation. "According to Kinana, you've never gone past ten magic circles since it strains your heart too much!"

"According to Kinana," he echoed. Then, with a tired smile, he added, "Not according to me!"

"What do you-?"

" _Twenty layer magic circle!_ " he screamed, bracing himself as much as he could. " _KAIOKEN!_ " The Kamehameha doubled in size, bearing down on Erza like a glowing blue volcano eruption. Gorun's body shone like a red comet, and his scream could be heard all across the beach.

Down below, Erza let out a cry of her own as she felt her armor begin to crack. This was definitely as strong as a Jupiter Cannon blast, and it was being fired from a much closer range. Before she had thought it was like having a building dropped on her armor, now it was like trying to lift a mountain!

Perhaps it was luck, then, that Gorun had already used so much of his power trying to break through her armor, not to mention the fact that he had essentially crippled himself for the purpose of sparring by using the Kaioken instead of his Super Saiyan form, a far more imprecise way of using his energy than the golden aura exclusive to his people.

In any case, the result was that as soon as Erza's shield finally gave out, Gorun's body was unable to take the strain of the massively multiplied technique of King Kai's. He collapsed from the strain, the blue beam ceasing to be as he fell to the earth, landing a few feet away from Erza, who was mildly wounded, but conscious.

She winced as she felt that perhaps one of her arms was fractured, but it hardly mattered. "You are quite the wizard, Gorun," she breathed, forcing herself into a sitting position. "I… underestimated you. I apologize, and offer the promise that I won't do so again."

When he neglected to respond or even stir from where he was, Erza's eyes widened as she realized that she could not tell if he was conscious or not. Scrambling over to his side, her alarm went up even further as she realized that she could not tell if he was even breathing.

"Gorun?!" she cried, requipping back into her swimsuit as she felt at his wrist for a pulse. "Gorun, answer me!" She felt a pulse, but it was weak and very erratic. "Gorun!"

"Ungh…" he groaned softly, bringing her some measure of relief. "Sa…el…"

"What?" she asked, straining to understand him. "Did you need something?! Hold on, I'll get you to Wendy!"

"Sat… el…" he mumbled, still incoherent.

"Try not to talk," she told him. "Save your strength." She hoisted him up on her back, her limbs shrieking in protest as she began to carry the wiry teenager back to the hotel. "I'm taking you to Wendy so she can heal you."

Again, he tried to say something, but the effort was still too much, and she couldn't make heads or tails of what he was trying to tell her. More than likely he was hallucinating, she decided.

As she walked back, she berated herself for making such a stupid mistake. They had both gotten out of hand with their sparring session, she knew, but she blamed herself for allowing him to goad her, then worse, goading him right back. It was a childish mistake, one that she expected from Natsu, or even Gray. _Now Gorun's life may be in danger,_ she thought somberly. _I wanted to be a good example to him, but instead I wound up acting like a little girl._

"Hey, Gorun!" She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of a familiar voice. "Erza, can you hear me?!" It was Kinana, by the sound of things.

"I smell 'em, they're close!" That was Natsu. While he wasn't the dragon slayer she wanted to see at the moment, she would be glad of the extra hands. Her own were somewhat battered at the moment, and carrying Gorun was proving to be more difficult than she preferred.

"Over here!" she called out. "Gorun needs help!"

"Help?!" Kinana cried as she rose over the ridge with Natsu right behind her. "What happened to him?!" When she saw the state that Erza was in, she added, "What happened to you?"

"We got carried away during our sparring match," Erza admitted as she slumped to the sand. "He pushed his enhancement spell to twenty layers of magic circles."

"T-Twenty?" Kinana paled, her hands covering her mouth.

"Is it really that bad?" Erza asked.

"Wait, he went up to twenty with you?!" Natsu interrupted, looking down at the collapsed Saiyan mage. "He only used five on me! Does this cheap jerk think I'm not worth it?!"

"Natsu, _focus_ ," Erza said sharply, instantly rendering him still. "I can't carry him anymore… We need to get him to Wendy so he can be healed."

"Satch… el…" the semi-conscious boy mumbled.

"Satchel?" Natsu asked as he hauled Gorun up and over his shoulder. "What's he talking about?"

"Oh, I know what he's talking about!" Kinana exclaimed, bringing her hands down. "Start bringing him back to the hotel, there's something I need to get him." Before either one of the other wizards could ask what she was talking about, she was up and flying away at high speed back to the lodge.

"I don't suppose you know what she was talking about?" Erza asked Natsu.

"Man, why do you get all the cool fights?" the pinkette pouted, apparently still wrapped up in the fact that it had taken a lot more for Gorun to beat Erza than it had him.

"I didn't think so," Erza sighed.

* * *

They had nearly made it back to the hotel when Kinana descended from above, something clenched tightly in her right hand. "I've got it!" she told them.

"Got what?" Erza asked. "Why did you leave when Gorun could have used your help?"

"I am helping him," she insisted. "Lay him down and help me get his mouth open." Confused but curious, Erza and Natsu did as she asked, laying Gorun down on the sand so that he faced upward. The redhead pried his mouth open and looked expectantly at the wounded boy's girlfriend, still wondering what was going on.

She didn't have to wait long. Kinana loosened up her right hand and dropped something small that looked like a green bean into her mouth, chewing it quickly with a series of small crunches before placing her mouth against Gorun's. Whatever was in her mouth must have fallen into his, because he swallowed a bit, coughed, sputtered, then sat up straight, nearly knocking into Kinana in the process.

"Whoa!" he gasped, eyes wide. "I forgot how effective those things were."

"Gorun, you're awake!" Erza, exclaimed, surprised. She then noticed that not only was he awake, he was completely unmarked from his fall to the earth, and his breathing had instantly become regular again. "You seem… healthy."

"Good as new," he grinned as he leaped to his feet. "Thanks for carrying me all the way over here, both of you. I guess I got a little carried away with my attack and wound up overusing the Kaioken."

"You _guess_?" Kinana demanded, looking more than a little cross with his reckless behavior. "Erza told me you went up to twenty layers! You could have killed yourself!"

"I know, I'm sorry," he said with a deep bow towards her. "That's why I was asking for my satchel. I figured a senzu bean was the surest way to recover from that attack." Seeming to remember something, he turned swiftly and bowed to Erza. "Also please pardon me for destroying your armor. I got carried away in what was supposed to be a training exercise."

"We both did," Erza said with a smile. "Don't worry, my armor will be repaired by the time the Grand Magic Games begin. Until then, I suggest we hone other skills."

"Agreed," Gorun nodded. Turning back to his girlfriend, he bowed again and said, "I really am sorry, Kinana. I didn't think my actions through, and I realize that. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you," she sighed as she embraced him. "Just… You usually think smarter than that. What happened?"

Glancing quickly at Erza, who still didn't know about his origin, he said, "Let's just say that I chose the wrong ancestor to mimic in that fight."

"Goku?" Kinana guessed. By this time, Gorun had told her about some of his more prominent relatives, and she was trying to remember which one was the one that had a bad habit of challenging his own limits at the risk of his health.

"Vegeta did that sometimes, too, but yeah, him," Gorun admitted.

"Hey!" Natsu grumbled. "What was up with that kiss? Does Kinana have healing magic, too?"

Gorun laughed before answering, "No, it had more to do with what she put in my mouth with that kiss. It's a very rare food called a senzu bean- it instantly restores all your stamina in addition to healing any wound just short of death itself. Also in regular people, it'll keep their bellies full for ten days."

"Regular people?" Erza asked.

"Have you seen Natsu and I eat?" Gorun deadpanned. "No amount of magic is gonna keep us full for more than a few hours."

"Fair enough," Erza laughed, but quickly winced as pain shot through her arms. Apparently she was sorer than she thought.

Seeing her pain, Gorun immediately took action. "Hold on," he said right before he disappeared with instant transmission. He reappeared a second later, holding his free hand out, which held another small, green bean. "Eat this," he told her. "I only use them for emergencies, but since I did this to you, I feel responsible."

"No, it'll be all right," Erza tried to protest, but Gorun wasn't having it.

"Please eat it, Erza," he insisted. "I won't take no for an answer."

"Very well, if you insist," she sighed heavily. Looking up at Kinana as she accepted the item from his hand, she asked, "Is he always this stubborn?"

"Usually only when friends are concerned," she smiled.

"Hmm…" Erza smiled slightly before popping the bean in her mouth and eating it. It was crunchier than she had expected, and it didn't really have a flavor. Once she had ground it up, she swallowed, and a feeling of immediate relief washed over her, soothing her body and making it feel as though she had never fought Gorun. Looking down at herself, she was surprised to see that her arms were completely unharmed, and every scrape and other bruise had vanished as well.

"Ooh, ooh! I want one!" Natsu grinned, holding his hands out like a kid asking for candy.

Gorun frowned at his guild mate, then said, "No wounds, no senzu."

"Man, I thought we were friends!"

"I only have a few of those, and they are for _emergencies_!"

* * *

The senzu beans were one of the things he had taken before leaving Conton City. He had originally been planning on buying them from the Capsule Corp. shop out in the plaza, but he didn't for two reasons.

Firstly, he needed something that only a select few beings in the multiverse would have as a precaution for future disasters. Two, he was still very angry at the Elder Kai for giving away his identity, so if he was going to steal anything, it was going to be from the old man. As it just so happened, the vault containing the belongings of the ancient Kai held precisely what he needed. That and a lot of perverted magazines, which he torched because why not?

There had been thirty-eight beans in the pouch that he had taken and stored in a capsule which he later transferred to a satchel that he travelled with before destroying the container. The other item that he had taken was also in the satchel, but it was sealed in a lachryma container that would only open in response to ki magic. Since only he and Kinana used it, he was confident that the chances of someone getting it open were next none- especially since the only other condition which it might open was under an etherion blast, which might or might not destroy the item inside… he honestly didn't know, nor was he planning on finding out.

He had used four of the beans now, twice over the last eighteen months, and two just now to heal himself and Erza. He knew that she didn't need it, but he did feel guilty about taking the training too far and hurting his comrade, so he knew that he needed to make it right.

Not to mention, even though he had hurt himself pretty badly with the Kaioken, it had paid off exactly as he had hoped. He felt stronger than before, strong enough to use the Kaioken ten times without any major strain, though it would still be tiring.

That wasn't his goal, though. His sights lay beyond the technique of King Kai, in the realms of power that only a Saiyan could know.

 _I need to reach at least Super Saiyan 2…_ he thought as he floated over the ocean. It was past midnight, and everyone back at the lodge was asleep. He had used instant transmission to get out without anyone noticing him leaving so that he could train alone- and really push his limits.

"Okay, here goes…" he breathed as he reached what seemed like a safe distance. Clenching his fists tightly, he willed a golden magic circle into existence beneath his feet, already feeling the amazing power that it would grant rushing through him. _Time to go Super Saiyan again… and beyond it!_ Golden light filled the nighttime horizon of Akane beach.

* * *

The next day, everyone was dressed up in their beach clothes again and ready to do more training. "Man, I can't believe how much stronger I feel after only a day of training!" Natsu grinned. "And we get to do this for three whole months?! Haha, I'm all fired up!"

"Y'know, at first I thought, 'wait, three months, that's all we have?" Lucy added. "But now I think that's more than enough time for us to catch up to the other guilds in the country."

Gorun had to admit, their power levels had all risen a respectable amount from when he had first encountered them. Still… "You're on the right track, but you're not there yet," he told them. Before anyone could retort, he added, "If you keep training like you did yesterday, though, you'll be on a level you never dreamed of by the time we head to the Grand Magic Games."

They all grinned in agreement before breaking up to begin training for the day. Kinana approached Gorun and beckoned to him that she wanted to talk in private. Once they were relatively alone among some trees, she asked, "So how did the zenkai boost work out?"

He looked at her, startled that she had remembered that particular detail about his biology and the fact that he would have already tested it. "Umm… I didn't get what I was aiming for," he admitted. "Although on the plus side, I can use the Kaioken at ten times without any major strain now."

"But you were trying to reach the… what was it called?" Kinana frowned slightly. "Super Saiyan Advanced?"

He smiled and chuckled a bit before saying, "Super Saiyan 2, actually."

"Wait, I forget…" she muttered. "How many of these transformations are there? I know you've shown me the basic one."

"Yep, there's good ol' Super Saiyan, multiplies my power by fifty," he nodded. "Super Saiyan 2 doubles that, though it doesn't really look different from the first form except that my hair stands up a little straighter and you start seeing lightning mixed in with the yellow energy."

"Then there's… a third one, which is the strongest of the Super Saiyan forms, right?" she asked, trying to keep what he had told her straight.

"Yep, and that's the one where the hair gets really long and the eyebrows disappear," he grinned. "Honestly, it looks kinda stupid, but the plus side to it is that it's four times stronger than the second transformation."

"So that's…"

"A total of four hundred times more powerful than I am right now," he nodded firmly. "Yeah."

"But that's not the one you're aiming for, right?" she asked. "There's a fourth form?"

"Yeah, in the timeline that it was discovered in, they called it Super Saiyan 4, but I don't think that's really the right term for it. I've taken to calling it Super Saiyan Prime."

"Why not?" she asked him. "It's even stronger than the third form, right?"

"Oh, much stronger," he nodded emphatically. "The thing is, the process for achieving the form is completely different to the others. Also, it would look nothing like my usual Super Saiyan form."

"Okay, so what's different?" she asked, not sure if he had gone over this before or if she was just being forgetful.

"Remember the Oozaru?"

"The Great Ape form," she nodded.

"I have to transform into that, then engage the Super Saiyan power, transforming me into a Golden Great Ape," he explained. "That's step one, which isn't that hard. I could probably do it during a full moon if I wanted."

"Then why bother going through the other forms first?" she wondered, puzzled.

"Mental conditioning," he said tapping the side of his head. "Haven't you wondered why I don't just use the Super Saiyan form all the time?"

She paused, trying to understand his reasoning. She had seen the form in action once, and so she knew of its power firsthand. Now that he mentioned it, it didn't seem to make sense that he would rely on the Kaioken as much as he did when he held such power in his grasp. Looking up at her boyfriend, she shook her head and said, "I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it much since even with the Kaioken you're pretty much unstoppable."

"Fair enough," he nodded with a slight grin. "Well, the reason is that the Super Saiyan transformation removes my inhibitions to a degree- makes me more violent than I normally am, and with each transformation, my reason is whittled away more and more."

"I thought that only happened if you lost control in your Oozaru form," she said, eyes widened slightly in alarm.

"It's not enough to make me lose my sanity entirely," he said quickly, trying to reassure her with a hand on her shoulder. "And in my Super Saiyan form, I've had enough practice and exposure to the form to keep ahold of myself, mostly. But if I were to go straight for the Golden Oozaru…" He paused, waiting for her to put the pieces together.

"You'd have a harder time keeping yourself together than if you first practiced with Super Saiyan 2 and 3," she realized.

"Exactly," he nodded. "The mental strain of either form is no big deal on their own. But put 'em together, without the right training, and you've got a recipe for disaster."

"I see now," Kinana whispered. "So once you've mastered level three, then comes the Golden Ape, which is Super Saiyan 4?"

"Not quite," Gorun laughed. "It's all a little complicated, isn't it?"

"Just a little," she laughed back.

He smiled a moment longer before sobering up and saying, "Once I enter the Golden Ape state, I need something to focus on- a strong memory, a long-awaited goal- in order to trigger the final stage in the transformation. I'll return to a more humanoid state, but most of my body will be covered in reddish or dark pink fur while my hair returns to its black color. Though if past experience says anything, it'll look only a little bit like my usual hairdo."

"And the power increase?" she asked curiously.

His face remained passive before saying, "Ten times that of Super Saiyan 3… That, or in simpler terms, four thousand times stronger than I am right now."

Her eyes widened as he described the magnitude of his increase in power. After working her jaw up and down a few times, she asked, "And… do you stay yourself? Or do you lose your mind again?"

"I retain my conscious self, though no one that's mastered the form before has been very reasonable once they attained it," he said quietly. "They're quick to violence, and they care little for the collateral damage that they cause. Even Goku, who first mastered the transformation, admitted that it was dangerous to use."

"I see now why you'd be so methodical about how you'd want to attain it," the purple-haired girl said as she leaned into a hug from the boy. "You could end up hurting something or someone you care about if you tried to use a shortcut."

"Yeah…" the Saiyan boy said with a barely suppressed shudder as he thought of what might happen to his friends should they try to stop him in his Oozaru state, much less the golden form.

"Well, at least I have all of that straight now," she smiled up at him. The smile was quickly replaced by another puzzled look as she added, "That is all of the forms you can use… right?"

"Yep," Gorun nodded. "There are other advances for a Saiyan's power, but it's impossible for me to pursue them in this world, so I won't bore you with the details right now."

"Oh, jeez," she laughed. "How many transformations are there in total for your people?"

"Umm… including the two ape forms…?" he muttered out loud. "Nine. Then there's something called Ultra Instinct and having your potential unleashed, but the first one can only be obtained by someone with divine ki- though it doesn't have to be a Saiyan - and another one requires the magic of an experienced Kai. Neither of those are available to me."

"Sheesh, you almost sound like Erza with the amount of transformations you can do," Kinana grinned. "Speaking of which, didn't you want to learn some requip magic from her?"

"Oh yeah!" Gorun said with a click of his fingers. "Mind if I go talk to her about it?"

"Go ahead," she smiled before planting a kiss on his cheek. "I was going to practice combat with Juvia today."

"Cool," he said before returning the gesture of affection. "After lunch, would you like to work on any of your techniques?"

"I could use some help with the Solar Flare," she admitted. "After lunch works great." They stepped out of the trees to go meet their friends when they were surprised to see them all putting on clothes from a pile that had randomly appeared on the beach.

"Uh… what?" Gorun asked.

"Oh thank goodness you're here!" Lucy exclaimed. "Quick, find some clothes and put them on! The spirit world is in trouble- they need our help!"

"The spirit world?" Gorun repeated, his mind immediately flashing to Otherworld back in his home dimension. "Like where dead people are?"

"No, it is the home of we, the celestial spirits contracted to the Princess," remarked a girl with light purple hair and startlingly blue eyes. Said girl was dressed in a maid's outfit with manacles hanging from her wrists. "Hello there. Please put on some of these clothes so that we may be on our way."

"Umm… hi?" the boy replied, waving awkwardly. Looking at the others, he asked, "Anyone wanna explain this?"

"Lucy's a Celestial Wizard whose contracted with a majority of the Zodiac spirits, some of the most powerful and influential spirits in their realm," Erza explained.

"Their world's in trouble, so we're gonna go pound whoever's causin' trouble!" Natsu declared. "C'mon, Gorun! Put on an outfit so we can get going!"

Gorun blinked once and said, "Okay, I still feel like I'm missing something, but just because he got my name right, I'm gonna put on the clothes and go with it."

* * *

A few minutes later saw the whole group- minus Jet and Droy, who were nowhere to be found- dressed in Spirit World attire. As soon as the last article of clothing had been straightened, the maid- who Lucy introduced as Virgo- created a massive magic circle that Gorun quickly recognized as a fast travel technique used by the gods' attendants that sent them whirling through time and space to land in the Spirit World.

It was beautiful, there was no other word for it. The sky was the richest shade of royal blue that they had ever seen, and there were more stars than one could ever hope to count. Not all of them were in the sky, either. Some of them were quite close, but they did not burn with the fierce intensity of an earthly star, but more with a gentle, welcoming light. There were planets, too, of all size and color, whirling through the air and skies like comets.

" **Welcome, Lucy Heartfelia and friends,** " said a powerful, sonorous voice. Everyone whirled to see a man that towered over them all, dressed in magnificent armor with a sword at his waist. His eyes were red like rubies, and his skin was a pale sky blue, though one could barely see it because of the gigantic moustache he was sporting.

 _I can think of a certain Pride Trooper that would be very jealous of that moustache,_ Gorun thought, even as he reached out to sense the being's power level. To his surprise, when he tried to sense the energy that the titan should have been emitting, he felt… nothing. _That's weird,_ he thought with a guarded frown. _He has a certain presence about him, but no power lev- Oh._

"I'd guess that you're in charge here?" he called up.

"Hey, that's the Celestial Spirit King!" Lucy said, swatting his arm. "Be polite!" Turning back to the giant man, she called out, "Sire, Virgo told me that the Celestial Spirit World is in danger! We've all come to help any way we can!"

To their surprise, the King just stood and stared at them all for a long moment. Then a broad grin split his face and he simply said, " **Smile.** " Suddenly a whole host of beings that Gorun guessed were other celestial spirits appeared around them, many of them greeting the members of Fairy Tail as old friends.

" **Tonight, we celebrate the return of our good friend, Lucy Heartfelia, and her guild,** " the king declared, and he swept aside his cape to reveal a bountiful feast that would easily feed all of them, including Gorun and Natsu. " **We were gladdened to hear of your return, and to mark the occasion, I have invited you here, to my home, where we may eat and sing and dance!** "

"Wait, what?!" Lucy cried, astonished. "What about your world being in danger?!"She looked accusingly at Virgo, who remained passive.

"I lied," she said with just the slightest of smiles.

"We wanted to make it a surprise party!" a surprisingly normal-looking young man dressed in a suit with shaded glasses called out. "Welcome back, gorgeous! And everyone else, too! Glad to see ya!"

"Hey, Loke!" Gray said as he stepped forward to give the other boy a hi-five. "How ya been?" Several of the others moved to say hello to him, leaving Gorun with Kinana and Levy.

"Who's that guy?" he asked.

"That's Leo, the leader of the Zodiac spirits," Levy answered him quickly. "He's contracted to Lucy, but he's also a full-fledged member of Fairy Tail in his own right."

"Wait, was he the one that used to be our guild's residential lady killer?" Gorun asked, a memory of some his readings about Fairy Tail's past coming to the forefront of his mind.

"That's the one," Kinana laughed. "I'm glad he's okay. I wasn't sure what was going to happen to him since Lucy had been gone for so long. But it seems like all of her spirits are okay."

"And the Celestial Spirit King?" Gorun asked. "Is he contracted to Lucy, too?"

"No way, are you kidding?" Levy laughed. "The king doesn't have a key, and a wizard needs a gate key to summon a celestial spirit. He's probably the only spirit in existence that can't be summoned."

 _That also makes sense, considering…_ Gorun mused silently.

"Hey, who's the new guy?" Leo asked, finally spotting Gorun. "I think I recognize Kinana- lookin' good, by the way- but I've never seen this kid before."

"That's Gorun, he joined the guild about a year and a half ago," Lucy told him. In a slightly lowered tone that was flavored with a laugh, she added, "He's Kinana's boyfriend, and he's really protective of her, so I'd watch it if I were you."

"Hey, you know I've only got eyes for you, beautiful," Leo winked at his master. From what Gorun could tell by the quick rolling of Lucy's eyes, this seemed to be a routine thing between them.

" **Let the feast begin!** " the king declared.

* * *

It was a party unlike any Gorun had ever been to- and he'd been to a lot of parties made from a lot of different cultures. His parents' heroics had seen him as a guest at parties with Namekians- who admittedly didn't eat much of anything but knew how to put on a good show- Frost Demons- there was a lot of wine involved in those occasions, he remembered- the Majin people- their festivities involved a little too much candy for his taste- Saiyans- where fights _always_ broke out, and usually ended with his mother and father knocked someone silly- and of course, humans- who had the best food for any occasion.

At least, that's what he thought until now. "Kinana, _please_ tell me you can get the recipe for this stuff!" he said as he ripped through some sort of mutton. "Have you tried the fish over there? It's amazing!"

"I think my cooking just got dumped by my boyfriend," Kinana said as she stared with slightly wide eyes at the speed with which Gorun was devouring his food. She'd seen him eat quickly before, but now it was like he was trying to set a record for 'fastest buffet eaten'.

"I can send you home with a cookbook from our library," said Virgo, who was waiting hand and foot on Lucy with a blank, incurious expression. "You won't be able to get all of the ingredients in your world, of course, but I can make some notes with substitutes if you'd like."

"Wow, you'd do that for me?" Kinana asked, touched by the kind gesture. "Thank you, Virgo."

"Of course," Virgo said with a bow. "A friend of the princess is a friend of mine." She left to go complete her self-appointed task.

"Hey, Gorun!" Natsu called over through a mouthful of bread. "I bet I can fit more of these awesome bread rolls in my mouth than you can!"

"Oh, it is _on_!" Gorun declared, reaching for a plate that had appeared, full of the freshly baked goods. "This is one challenge I will _never_ lose, Salamander!"

"My money's on Natsu!" Leo laughed as he approached with a glass in hand, a girl that had ram horns growing out of her head at his side. "How about you, Aries?"

"U-Umm…" the girl stammered, turning red from the attention she was receiving from so many people. "I-I guess L-Lady Lucy's new friend looks… hungry?"

"I'm betting on Gorun," Gray said as he pulled up a chair to watch the show. "Beat that flame-brain, man!"

"If my darling Gray is placing his faith in the new S-class wizard, then so shall I!" Juvia declared.

"No way, Natsu's stomach is the resident black hole at Fairy Tail!" Lucy shouted in support of her teammate. "Go, Natsu!"

"Yeah, show the new guy what you're made of!" Happy added. Before long, the members were divided into two groups, one cheering for Natsu as he began stuffing his face full of bread rolls while the other half encouraged Gorun as he matched the dragon slayer loaf for loaf.

"You got this, Gorun!" Kinana yelled in encouragement, though she and most of the others were all having a hard time not laughing at the two boys as they continued to force more bread into their mouths.

Things really reached a fever pitch when Leo and Gray started getting into an argument over how many rolls Gorun and Natsu had in their mouths, respectively, and an unexpected voice joined the debate.

" **The contest stands at seven loaves in Natsu's mouth, and eight- no, nine- in young Gorun's,** " said the king, looking down at them from across the table with a giant grin on his face.

"Your excellency…?" Leo asked, open-mouthed. "You were keeping count?"

" **Such a contest has not happened here in our world,** " the king remarked. " **I find it very entertaining!** " At that point, everyone burst out laughing, including the two contestants, causing them to spew out their accumulated rolls. Seeing this, the king declared Gorun the technical winner, since he had more bread in his mouth when they had both spit out their food.

"Aw man!" Natsu pouted. "First he beats me, then he beats Erza, then he beats me again! Not fair!"

"Nah, that fight with Erza was her win," Gorun conceded. "I did it to myself, but I haven't beaten her yet. So maybe you'll still get to beat her before I do, huh Natsu?" He knew that it was a longtime dream of the dragon slayer's to beat Erza in a fight, and how important that was as a measure of his own strength and self-worth.

 _It's good that he has dreams that he can hold on to and strive for,_ he thought as he watched the salmon-haired wizard perk up and accept a drink from Lucy, though Gray froze it while he thought he wasn't looking. This led to a scuffle breaking out between them, and another round of belly laughs echoed across the table.

While the fight continued in the background, Gorun turned to Virgo, who he noticed was now holding a 'Go Natsu!' flag while standing beside Lucy. "Miss Virgo, mind if I ask you something?" he asked after his idle curiosity went away.

"Of course," she said, her face remaining stoic.

"Why do we need to be wearing clothes from this world?" he asked. "Lucy said something about it earlier."

"Humans would find it very difficult to breathe in our world without them," Virgo replied flatly. "Our atmospheres are very different, and so your bodies require magic garments to help filter the air around you."

"Oh, okay," he said. It actually wasn't a wild thought to him. He knew of another place with similar properties, a realm where time moved differently than it did back home… _I thought the atmosphere was familiar,_ he thought. _The air… it feels like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. I wonder if time moves differently here like it does back there?_ _It would make sense._

Before he could ask any more about it, the desserts were brought out, and all other things seemed to lose significance in the face of such delights. _Spirit food is awesome!_ He thought as he grabbed a heaping helping of what looked like some sort of ice cream that glowed like the moon and brought it over to share with Kinana.

* * *

The party lasted for a full day in the Spirit World. There was, as promised by the king, dances performed by several of Lucy's spirits, enough food for everyone to stuff themselves to excess, and some of the most beautiful music Gorun had ever heard.

He wasn't exactly a music lover, but something about the melody and words sung by the harpist spirit Lyra made him think of his life with the struggling Fairy Tail guild, and despite all of their troubles, about how happy being among them made him. Looking around, he was all the happier as he saw friends and family, not just peers and admirers that would never know the real him.

Some of the other highlights of the event included an impromptu group dance put on by a lot of little spirits that the others referred to as 'Plu', which was led by Happy and Carla, a tour of the Spirit World Library, where Gorun and Levy each received a book that piqued their interest, and an archery contest between Sagittarius and Erza.

At some point, Natsu refused to eat any more food, and he looked as though someone had told him he'd been poisoned, though when anybody asked him what was wrong, all he would do was point at the feast and mutter something unintelligible in a high-pitched voice. Gorun ignored him and kept eating- who knew when they'd be invited back again?

As it turned out, humans in general were not invited often to the Celestial Spirit World- or ever before, really.

"Seriously?" Gorun asked, eyes wide as he looked up at the king. They were in the midst of preparing to head back to the human world when he overheard part of the king's conversation with Lucy. "We're the first ones to come to your world?" Now he felt even more in awe of his surroundings and the circumstances in which they had arrived.

" **Yes, and it is because of Lucy's heart and will that you stand here today,** " the king nodded imperiously. " **Her bond with my subjects is stronger than any that I have ever seen before in the eons that I have lived. It is her that I wished to honor today with these festivities.** "

"The honor is all mine," Lucy said with a deep bow. "Thank you so much, sire." Turning to the other spirits, who were smiling at her, she added, "Thank you all for having us here. I love you so much." The spirits made no reply, but their smiles widened, as did the king's.

"Thank you for extending the invitation to the rest of us," Gorun said with a deep bow of his own to the king. "I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we've all had a great time today." The others gave a hearty chorus of agreement, several of them adding bows of their own as they paid homage to the King of the Stars.

" **You are all welcome,** " the king replied. Addressing Lucy again, he added, " **Know that no matter where it is that you go, we shall always be with you.** "

"I will take you back to the human world now," Virgo said, everyone having been gathered together. "Be aware- time moves differently in our world than it does in yours."

"Wait, really?" Gray asked, the others muttering in surprised tones. "Does it move faster here?"

 _Called it!_ Gorun laughed to himself. _Just like the Time Chamber._

"Well if time moves faster here, we should just do our training in the spirit world!" Natsu exclaimed, a sentiment that Gorun shared. "That way we can get way more done, and with more time!"

* * *

Ten minutes later had them standing on the beach that they had left… with only a week until the Grand Magic Games were supposed to take place.

 _So… Not like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber,_ Gorun thought dully.

"Hey, you guys are back!" They heard Jet and Droy approaching from behind, and much to Gorun's annoyance, he was fairly certain that they had gone and gotten slightly _weaker_ while they were gone.

"Where'd you go? Did you get any training done?" Jet asked.

"It's… all over…" Lucy whispered before half of the group collapsed on the beach.

"Dammit…" Gorun growled, his subconscious already drawing the necessary magic circle to vent his frustration. "This means… _This means_ …" A golden light shone from underneath his feet in the form of a magic formula, but he seemed not to notice.

"We lost all the time we could have had… just for a party…" Levy groaned out.

Kinana seemed to notice something was off at that moment, because her eyes widened and she tried to warn her boyfriend, "Umm, Gorun? You're about to-"

"A deity of all people, messing with people's timelines like that?!" he shouted at the sky, cutting her off unintentionally. "Of all the _stupid!_ " A golden flame spurted to life around one of his clenched fists.

"Gor-"

" _Asinine!_ " he bellowed, apparently deaf to the purple-haired girl's attempted pleas as his hair began to stand on end.

"Please-"

"Shark- jumping _bullcrap!_ " he screamed, clenching his fists hard enough that his nails cut into his palms.

Before anyone could interfere, they were all forced to avert their gazes as golden energy erupted violently from his body, kicking up wind and dirt in their faces.

Immediately, all of them felt Gorun's magical pressure increase dramatically. It reminded Natsu of the time that he had fought with Gildarts on Tenrou Island, though the power he was sensing now was not as great as Fairy Tail's strongest member. Still, he was easily as strong as Gramps as when he took on Master Hades, which was nothing to sneeze at.

When the dust settled, they all were shocked to see that Gorun's appearance had changed dramatically. His hair was no longer black and hanging on either side of his face, nor being held back by a ponytail. It was yellow and quite literally standing up on end while his eyes had changed from their usual shade of a gentle gray into a fierce emerald color. His muscles were also a bit thicker and more defined, but only a couple of them noticed this. Most of the present wizards were too busy still being in awe of his enormous growth in magic power.

Looking around at his comrades, then at himself, then at Kinana, who was simply giving him an 'oh well' look, and back at the others again, Gorun only had one thing to say. "Oops."

* * *

 **Closing Song: Closer to the Truth by Cryoshell**

 **Mataras: You said it- oops.**

 **Gorun: I slipped.**

 **Mataras: Yeah you did. How're you gonna explain this one to them?**

 **Gorun: You do realize that this is a world where takeover magic and other transformation magic exists, right?**

 **Mataras: That... Actually, that works. Still, somebody's gonna ask questions at some point.**

 **Gorun: Well, if worse comes to absolute worse, I can just pull a you.**

 **Mataras: Awesome! I should write that down.**

 **Gorun: Ha! Irony.**

 **Mataras: Next time- In Preparation.**

 **Gorun: Be on the lookout for Mataras' response video to any reviews posted within the next few days. Next chapter will be up by the end of June.**

* * *

 **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**

"I hope he doesn't do anything stupid…" Kinana winced as she sat down at the foot of one of the beds.

"What makes you say that?" Erza asked.

"He gets kind of irrational when someone he cares about is hurt," she answered as she looked out the window to see him leaving the building, his shoulders hunched, his frame tense.

"Don't we all?" Erza smiled, but the expression was dropped when Kinana looked back at her sharply.

"You don't get it," she told them, standing back up. "That golden takeover form of his? I've only seen it twice in the entire time I've known him. The first time he showed it to me, he was sharing a part of his secret with me. The second time, we were on a job together and some bandits nearly kidnapped me when he wasn't looking. He went berserk trying saving me from them- most of them didn't survive."

"He killed them?" Lucy asked, eyes wide.

"I hope he doesn't do anything stupid…" Kinana winced as she sat down at the foot of one of the beds.

"What makes you say that?" Erza asked.

"He gets kind of irrational when someone he cares about is hurt," she answered as she looked out the window to see him leaving the building, his shoulders hunched, his frame tense.

"Don't we all?" Erza smiled, but the expression was dropped when Kinana looked back at her sharply.

"You don't get it," she told them, standing back up. "That golden takeover form of his? I've only seen it twice in the entire time I've known him. The first time he showed it to me, he was sharing a part of his secret with me. The second time, we were on a job together and some bandits nearly kidnapped me when he wasn't looking. He went berserk trying saving me from them- most of them didn't survive."

"He killed them?" Lucy asked, eyes wide.


	5. In Preparation

**A/N: Enjoy an early chapter, everyone!  
**

 **OP Song: The Day (Original or cover by Jonathan Young)**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 2_

 **In Preparation**

"Umm… I can explain…" Gorun muttered as he turned to face the others directly.

"Please do," Erza frowned. "If you possess such power, why is it that you did not use it in combat against me? You could have easily won our sparring match that way."

"Same reason someone trains with weighted clothing," he replied with a shrug. "The better they get while they're crippled, the better they become when unrestrained." Looking at the others, who were regarding him with wide eyes, he sighed and added, "Yes, I've always been able to do this."

"Is this part of you-"

"Yes," Gorun said sharply, cutting off Gray before he revealed too much. Erza, Wendy, Carla, and Team ShadowGear still didn't know the truth about who he was, and he wanted it kept that way. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down and release the power of the Super Saiyan, causing his body to revert back to its normal appearance. "Look, this power has… risks… attached to it. It's another reason that I prefer the other enhancement spell."

"What kind of risks?" Erza asked, still curious.

"He has trouble keeping his head when he's transformed like that," Kinana informed them. "The amount of energy that's released interferes with his ability to discern right from wrong- makes him generally more aggressive than usual."

Lucy looked at the purple-haired girl with surprise and asked, "You knew about that?" Kinana nodded affirmative in response.

"Well, I guess the takeaway from this is that we'll at least have one person from our group strong enough to compete in the games," Levy said miserably. "The rest of us'll have to watch from the sidelines." Her remark seemed to take everyone's attention away from Gorun's transformation and back to the present problem.

"Absolutely not!" Erza said stubbornly. "I won't concede defeat like this- we still have five days until we have to return, and we're going to use them! It'll be hell on earth, but we can still increase our magic power!"

"You're insane," Gray said flatly.

"Yeah!" Natsu agreed with the redhead, ignoring Gray. "Bring it on, Erza! I'll keep up with ya! I'm ready to feel the burn!"

"That's the spirit!" Erza said with a set jaw, clenching her fist in determination. "We'll start with some running!"

 _Maybe I can ask Erza to stab me a bunch of times,_ Gorun thought with a grimace. _I'd have to use up most of my senzu beans, but I think I can get enough zenkai boosts out of near-death experiences to make up for the lost three months…_ He was almost glad that Levy had brought up the depressing subject of the games- no one seemed too interested in his transformation at the moment. _Knowing this bunch, though, it won't be long before they start asking questions again._ Then again, this was a world of magic- transformations that enhanced magic powers weren't unheard of, especially with Erza and the Strauss siblings around. _Maybe they'll just pass it off as part and parcel of my magic._

He was shaken out of his thoughts when a bird landed on Erza's head and started… dancing?

Turning to his girlfriend, he asked in a lowered voice, "Do birds in this world usually do that, or is this one just special?"

"Special," she answered, pointing at it for him to look more closely. "It's a messenger pigeon- see the note on his leg?"

"Who sent that?" Lucy asked as Gray grabbed the bird from Erza's head and removed the little note. He passed it to Happy, who began to unfold it.

"Maybe it's a love note?" the little blue cat grinned.

Some of the others rolled their eyes, but Juvia suddenly seemed _very_ interested in the paper. "Gray, darling, you could have just given it to me," she said suggestively.

"Yeah, like _I_ wrote it," the young man said over his shoulder, with more than a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Listen up, Fairy Tail!" Happy read aloud. "You better come to the broken bridge west of the beach, and you better come alone."

"Dumb note's not the boss of us!" Natsu snapped, snatching the paper and burning it up.

"Yeah, can't say I care for their tone," Gray agreed.

"I say we should check it out," Erza said, her arms folded, her face grim. However, the fact that the pigeon was still on her head made it difficult to take her seriously.

"Really?" Lucy asked nervously. "This whole thing screams 'trap."

"Meh, I could use something to vent on," Gorun smirked. "I'm still steamed about losing three months of time."

"Yes, and a tough enemy will make for excellent training," Erza nodded firmly.

"You know you and Natsu are the only ones still obsessed with that, right?" Gray deadpanned. "Still, guess we better go along so you don't get killed. Not like we've got anything better to do."

* * *

A twenty minute trek into the jungle that bordered the beach led them to a ravine where the remnants of a rope bridge remained on either side of the gorge. "Check it out, just like the note said," Gorun muttered. "Now what?"

As if on cue, the bridge was reformed and made new before their eyes, looking to them as though it had just been constructed only a few days ago. _No, it doesn't just_ look _like it…_ Gorun realized, his eyes wide as he sensed a familiar kind of energy. _It_ was _made only just a few days ago!_

"That's temporal magic," he growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"What?" Several of the others chorused.

"Someone's messing with the flow of time nearby," he said through gritted teeth. "Does _no one_ around here respect the laws of time?!"

"Wait, time magic?" Natsu asked, suddenly sniffing at the air. "I've seen that before… and now that I know what to look for, I definitely recognize that smell."

The Salamander charged ahead onto the bridge, faltering a bit as his motion sickness kicked in, but he forced himself across the bridge, the others quickly following once they realized it wasn't going to collapse as soon as they stepped on it.

In their haste, they failed to notice that Gorun hadn't moved from where he stood. Only Kinana turned around in time to notice him staring downward, his fists clenched, and his face veiled by his unbound hair. "Gorun, what's wrong?" she asked him.

"Where I come from…" he murmured. "My parents were the great protectors of time. I left to make my own legacy, separate from theirs'… But is my destiny bound to restoring time no matter where I go?"

"Gorun, I'm sure that whatever this is, it has nothing to do with the time-changers your parents fought," Kinana tried to assure him. "Come on, or the others will get too far ahead of us."

"Okay," he said, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath and squaring his shoulders as he straightened his back. "I hope you're right, Kinana."

"I'm with you, no matter what happens," she smiled at him, causing him to give her a weak grin in return.

"Thanks," he whispered as she took his hand. _But Shenron help us all if this is Mira and Towa's doing… I know Natsu said he recognized who did this, but still…_ He engaged his flight ability and took off after the others, Kinana keeping up with him as to not let go of his hand.

* * *

They landed among their guild mates in time to see three people in blue cloaks step out of the shadows. Gorun instantly tensed up, reaching out to sense their power levels, then giving a start of surprise as he encountered something very unexpected.

"Jellal?" he asked before anyone could speak. "Why are you here?"

" _Huh_?!" Most of his guild mates gaped at him as the leader of the cloaked figures threw back his hood to reveal blue hair, dark green eyes, and a bizarre red tattoo over and under his right eye.

"Good to see all of you again- and you, Gorun," the man said as his comrades both revealed their own faces in turn. "Judging from their reactions, I take it you didn't tell them of our prior involvement together." On his right, a young girl with pink hair that put Natsu's to shame gave them all a smile as she said hello. On their left, a woman with raven hair and pale skin gave them all a somber nod as a way of greetings.

"Nah, you asked me to keep quiet about it, so that's what I did," he shrugged. "Besides, that whole thing worked out in my favor- it was easier for me to tell the rune knights that you guys did it. They pretty much left me alone after I sent them after you."

"It's nice to see you, Erza," Jellal said, inclining his head toward the young redhead. "I take it word of my escape reached you some time ago."

"It did," she nodded back, her expression unreadable.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Gorun realized aloud. "You've known Jellal for a while, right Erza?"

"Okay, does someone wanna catch me up?!" Lucy exclaimed before her friend could answer. "Why are you three here? More importantly, why are Jellal and Gorun acting like old friends?!"

"You might say that I'm Jellal's mole in the legal guild alliance," Gorun smirked as he turned to look at his friends, all of them wearing expressions of shock. "I keep him informed about the movements of both the Baram Alliance and the legal guilds."

"Since you all have been a little out of the loop for the past few years, let me fill you in," said the dark-haired woman, Urtear. "To atone for my horrific crimes when I was a part of Grimoire Heart- or at least, as much as one _can_ atone for so much evil- Meredy and I broke Jellal out of prison and formed an independent guild. Our name is Crime Sorcière, or the Witch's Crime, if you like."

"Y-You've been…" Jet was shocked. "I've heard about you guys! You've taken down dozens of dark guilds over the years."

Droy frowned heavily at Gorun and asked, "How come you never told us anything about this?"

"It was a need-to-know thing," the Saiyan shrugged. "You don't tell me who all of _your_ clients are, do you?"

"Our clients aren't wanted fugitives," Jet tried to protest, but it was a weak argument, and everyone knew it.

"Long story short, I met Jellal on a mission about eight months back- er, before the whole Spirit World Party thing, so I guess it's been almost a year now?" He looked to Jellal, who nodded in confirmation. "In any case, I was hired to take care of some bandits that were causing a city trouble with their shipping lanes. Turns out they were connected to a slavers' guild that Jellal and company had been tailing for weeks. We wound up meeting when I blew the slavers' ship to hell- and nearly took him out since he was on board, getting ready to sink it himself."

"It was a close call, but I'd say our meeting was more than beneficial," Jellal smiled slightly. "Gorun saved my life, and showed sympathy for our cause. I hired him to be our guild's eyes and ears into the legal guild system."

Erza looked suspiciously at Kinana, who was looking a little too innocent at the moment. "Did you know of this, Kinana?" she asked slowly.

In response, the girl grinned and said, "There's a reason people tell bartenders everything- we're really good at keeping secrets."

"So you knew," Erza said flatly.

"Wait, you told her?" Jellal asked Gorun sharply.

"Relax, she's okay," the boy said easily. "Besides, I wouldn't have been able to gather half the intel for you that I did without her help. People always talk to barmaids- especially the pretty ones." He grinned at his girlfriend, who flushed but smiled at the compliment.

"I think we're getting off-topic," Urtear said, bringing everyone's attention back to them. "We would dearly love to keep catching up with you, but we did call you here for business."

"What kinda business?" Natsu asked suspiciously.

"We have a request to make of the Fairy Tail guild," the dark-haired woman began…

* * *

"Kinda… convenient how this whole… _rgh…!_ second origin unlocking compensates for that time we… lost!" Gorun grunted out. "Hah… You weren't kidding when you said this would hurt!" He fought to keep his stomach under control as nausea and intense pain shot through his entire body, their source being the bizarre red marks glowing on his skin.

He was currently under the influence of Urtear's Arc of Time as it forced the energy containers in his body to grow, as well as breaking the seal on his hidden reservoir of power. At first, Gorun had been reluctant to allow a magic that altered the flow of time to alter his body, but eventually Kinana reasoned with him that it was only affecting their connection to magic energy, not the timeline itself. He was still reluctant, but he agreed to undergo the process along with the others.

In fact, as a show of trust, he volunteered to undergo the procedure first, hoping that if he made it through and emerged stronger, the others would see that there was nothing to fear. As it turned out, he was only half-right. He was growing more powerful by the second, as promised. However, there was no masking the fact that the spell hurt. A lot.

"I'm sorry, but I can do nothing for the pain," Urtear grimaced. "You'll just have to ride it out."

"No problem…" Gorun grinned, sweat dripping from his chin as he forced out a smile. "Try surviving… a training session in… four hundred times the earth's gravitational… _pull_!" He spat out the last word as a fresh wave of pain wracked his body.

"Is he joking?" he heard Meredy asking.

"You've seen how strong he is," her adopted mother replied. "I wouldn't dismiss the idea out of hand."

"Gotta say… I'm kind of… mad I didn't recognize your magic… earlier…" Gorun grunted out.

"I don't think I've ever used my magic in front of you before," Urtear shrugged. "But from the way you were talking, it sounds like you have experience with the Arc of Time?"

"You might… say that," the boy replied. "It's a… long story… And one that I don't like telling."

"Fair enough," Urtear shrugged. Looking him up and down, she added, "You're doing remarkably well, actually. It's almost as though your body is adapting to the changes being made inside you as we speak."

"Part of my magic… gives me a high degree of adaptability," Gorun panted, his breathing still labored, though not as pained as when the process had first begun. "This is still gonna be a special kind of hangover, I think…"

"Yeah… I was sick for like a week after I did it," Meredy grimaced.

"If you don't mind… I have a question while we wait…" he grunted, forcing himself to sit up and look at Urtear. "If unlocking the second origin hurts this much… why not just unlock the third one now and get it over with?"

"…What?" Meredy frowned. "There's no third container."

Gorun's eyebrows shot up as he looked at Urtear, who looked shocked. "You didn't know?" he asked.

"No, I knew," the woman said quickly. "It's just that…"

"Wait, there _is_ a third container?" Meredy asked, surprised. "Why haven't you mentioned that before, Mother?"

"Because it is a secret better left unknown to the world," Urtear said in a lowered, stern tone. "Gorun, you haven't told anyone else about this, have you?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I only just… became aware of it. But since you're forcing my second origin to open… I can feel the energy flow around it now… It's… even stronger than the second origin… isn't it?"

"It is," Urtear nodded. "But based on the readings I've found, the power it can give is not worth the price."

"What… price?" Gorun grunted.

"The price for opening and using the third origin… is the complete loss of your magic power," Urtear told them in a hushed tone.

Gorun blinked in surprise. "What, like… magic deficiency syndrome?" he grunted.

"No," she said with a negative shake of her head. "Your body regathers ethernano when your first and second origins run out of fuel. It only has the ability to do this because you still have magic particles in your body- in the third origin- to help attract more particles. If the third container were to be used, and emptied…"

"You would never be able to use magic again," Meredy realized out loud, her face paling. "Whoa…"

"So, a power that could surpass all others… but at the cost of… never being able to use your gifts again," Gorun muttered.

Urtear nodded gravely. "This is why I have chosen not to say anything, though I am surprised that you were able to sense the third origin at all. Jellal and Meredy haven't even been able to distinguish between their first and second origins, and they are wizards of rare skill."

"Part and parcel," Gorun said with a pained grin. Then his expression grew serious. "Urtear… I need a favor."

* * *

"Whaddya mean _I'm not on the team?!_ " Gorun screamed as he was held back by Erza, Natsu, Gray, _and_ Elfman- who seemed to have tripled in muscle mass since they last saw him- while trying to throttle Makarov.

Most of the guild had just returned home from their training camps, with the exception of Laxus, the Thunder Legion, Gajeel, and Pantherlily. Now little man had just announced that the first team was to be comprised of all the members of Team Natsu, minus their exceeds. Needless to say, Gorun was livid about it.

"The games don't just require brute strength, they require teamwork," Makarov told him flatly, apparently unfazed by the sight of Gorun's angry face. "True, you may be one of our strongest wizards, but this about more than just individual abilities. Natsu's team has a long history together, while we are still getting to know you, my boy. This is my decision as the guild's master, and that's final." Seeing the anger in Gorun's eyes quickly shift to a hurt expression as he slumped, he softened his tone and added, "Don't worry, son. You'll have your chance, I promise."

"Umm, Master?" Wendy said hesitantly. "Are you really sure I'm good for this? Why can't Laxus or Gajeel fight instead?"

"Not much I can do about that," Makarov shrugged. "Neither of them have come back yet."

"Aw man…" Wendy groaned in despair.

Seeing that Gorun was more or less defeated, his friends let him go so that he could go and slump into a chair. Kinana moved to console him- she realized now just how much he had been looking forward to working with the others in the guild to display the pride that he took as a member of Fairy Tail. As she got close, she heard him mutter something along the lines of, "…a Saiyan shouldn't be on the sidelines."

"Hey," she said gently as she lay a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon. I'll go make you some dinner. You'll feel better after a hot meal."

"Actually, my dear, would you mind terribly if I borrowed him for a moment?" Makarov asked as he approached the table. "There's something I need to talk to him about in private. It won't be long."

"Oh, okay," she answered as she stepped back. Looking back at her boyfriend, she smiled warmly and said, "I'll meet you at your place, okay?"

"Yeah," he said in a defeated tone. "Thanks, Kinana." They exchanged a quick kiss before the boy trudged after the master of the guild, following him to his office upstairs. As Makarov went to open the door, the boy muttered, "What now? Gonna take away my S-class ranking, too?"

Makarov frowned and turned around to face the boy. "I get the impression that you think I don't like you for some reason," he said.

"If I'm being honest, yeah, it does seem that way to me," Gorun replied with his arms folded. "Ego aside, I'm clearly one of the better choices to represent our guild, so I don't understand why you'd hurt our guild's chances at winning like that, unless it was just to spite me."

"Not spite, my boy," Makarov grinned slightly. "Subterfuge." That's when he swung the door open, and Gorun's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "For the record, I like you quite well, Gorun. You're strong, dependable, and for the most part, a lot less destructive than some of the other brats in this guild. Consider this my thanks for helping out Macao and the others when I couldn't."

"Oh…"

* * *

"Man, this place is amazing!" Lucy said excitedly as she looked around at the city surrounding them. Fairy Tail's competing team had arrived in Crocus, the capital of Fiore, and they were all rather impressed by the sights so far. There were massive buildings of all kinds in every direction, and not one of them was wanting for decorations with flowers.

"This certainly puts Edolas' capital city to shame," Carla remarked.

"I don't think I've ever been in a city this big before!" Natsu added, sniffing curiously at the air. There were so many new smells, he didn't know which one to investigate first.

"I've been here before a couple of times for a job or two," a familiar voice said as another group approached. The competitors turned to see Gorun approaching with a grin on his face, flanked by Kinana, Makarov, and a few other members of the guild. "Knowing Natsu, he'll wanna know where to get some good eats, and there's a place not too far from here."

"Ooh, what kinda place?!" Natsu asked excitedly.

"It's a steakhouse where they cook the food right in front of you," Gorun told him as he pointed down a westward street. "I reckon they'll let you sample some of the fires they use to cook, too."

" _Sweet!_ " Natsu exclaimed, jumping up and down like a child in a candy store.

"What're all you guys doing here?" Lucy asked as she approached the others.

"The entire guild is here to cheer you on, girl!" Levy smiled as she gave the taller girl a hug. "We wouldn't miss it!"

"Aw, thanks!" Lucy giggled as she returned the embrace.

"How're you all feeling, by the way?" Gorun asked as he looked his friends up and down. "Any side effects still bothering you?"

"Nah, after you gave us those magic beans, we feel good as new- and way stronger," Gray answered as he gave his comrade a thumbs-up.

"Good to hear," the boy nodded. He had thought about keeping the beans for himself with the thought of future emergencies in mind, but in the end he decided that showing support of his guild mates was important enough to cost him a few senzu. "We need you all in top shape for these games."

"Speaking of which, what exactly _are_ the events we're going to be participating in?" Wendy asked. "None of us have any clue about what we're going to be doing."

"Neither do we," Makarov answered.

"They switch up the events every year so people don't get bored, and we haven't found any way to predict what's coming next, either," Alzack explained. "Take one year, when Bisca and I didn't compete, there was a shooting game."

"Then another year, I was on the sidelines for a running competition," Jet scowled.

"Irony at its finest," Gorun chuckled. "The one thing you _don't_ suck at-"

"Gorun…" Makarov said warningly.

"Sorry," he said quickly, chastened.

"In any case, Erza, I'd like you to read through this before tomorrow," Makarov said as he handed her a book labeled 'Rules and Regulations'.

"All of it?" Erza asked.

"Don't worry, I gotcha covered," Levy said as she put on some wind-reader glasses. The pages flipped in her hands rapidly, and within ten minutes, she had read the entire thing from cover to cover. "Okay, so from what I can tell, there's three main rules we need to follow, the first rule being that a guild's master is forbidden from competing in the games."

"Seems fair," Makarov mused with a stroke of his moustache.

"The second is that no one can compete on the guild's behalf unless they have a guild mark," Levy added.

"Also kind of a given," Gray said.

"Lastly, the events taking place will not be known in advance, and their details will only be revealed right before the event itself begins," Levy concluded.

"Huh, they really don't want anyone to know what they're planning, do they?" Kinana piped up.

"I can understand why," Gorun shrugged. "Not only does it keep the audience in suspense, it prevents guilds from gaining unfair advantages by loading their teams with wizards that excel at the events to come."

"Oh wait, one more thing," Levy said as she flipped back a few pages. "It says that every member competing has to be in their rooms by midnight tonight."

"They put a curfew on us?" Gray asked with a frown. "Lame."

"Probably don't want their entertainment getting too wasted the day before the games," Gorun sniggered. "Good thing Cana's not competing."

"Gorun!" Makarov said disapprovingly.

"What?!" the boy protested. "I can't be the only one thinking it!"

"He's got a point, master," Lucy nodded. "She does drink a lot."

"I'm pretty sure she's replaced the blood in her body with booze," Gray agreed.

"Don't let her hear you say that, she'll think it's a compliment," Erza grinned.

"You kids…" Makarov sighed. "Whatever. Just be sure to be back in your rooms on time- you know where you're staying?"

"Honey Bone Inn," the group chorused.

"Very good," the old man nodded. "All right, go on and have fun."

"Awesome!" Natsu cried as he grabbed Lucy's hand and ran off in the direction that Gorun had pointed to earlier, trusting his nose to lead the way. Happy took off after them, shouting about being left behind.

Gorun watched them go, a quizzical smile on his face. "Are you _sure_ Natsu doesn't have a thing for Lucy?" he asked. "I've hardly seen them apart." Wendy and Carla decided to take their leave at that moment, heading for the flower gardens.

"Not that we can tell," Kinana laughed. "I guess it might be possible, even if _he_ doesn't know it."

"What, Natsu having a crush?" Gray laughed. "Get real. The only time we thought that might be the case was with Lisanna, and even after she came back, he hasn't shown any interest."

"Right, out of the people standing here, which ones are in a successful relationship?" Gorun asked with raised eyebrows. He, Kinana, Bisca, and Alzack raised their hands.

"Sheesh, rub it in why don't ya?" Gray muttered.

"There's no need to remind Gray of his romantic shortcomings," Erza said in a reprimanding tone. "Not everyone is so lucky as you and Kinana."

Before Gorun could make a retort that would get him beaten to a bloody pulp- Super Saiyan or not- Kinana put her hand over his mouth and quickly said, "Why don't we all go find somewhere to get lunch? It was a long trip getting here."

"Sounds like a plan," Gray nodded, rubbing his stomach. "I don't exactly feel hungry cos of that magic bean Gorun gave us, but I'm game to try out the local cuisine."

Gorun took Kinana's hand away from his mouth and said, "Better make sure you dodge your shadow if you want it to be a peaceful lunch."

"Shadow, wha-? Okay, how long has she been there?" Gray asked as he looked over his shoulder to see a smiling Juvia edging her way closer to him. "I guess you did say that the whole guild was here, so this shouldn't be a surprise."

"Been there the whole time, I bet," Gorun said in a lowered tone. "How you wanna play this? I can bail you out of whatever crazy scheme she's got, but you better decide if you want to keep blowing her off or tell her the truth straight up."

"I just…!" Gray stiffened as he felt Juvia's hand on his shoulder.

"Gray darling, would you like to get a bite to eat with me?" she asked hopefully, and in what she seemed to think was an endearing manner, but it honestly came off as creepy. "I think I found a nice, secluded, romantic restaurant not too far from here…"

Gray's mind was immediately made up. "Get me outta here!" he exclaimed as he pulled away from the rain woman.

"Done," Gorun grinned as he grabbed Gray's shoulder. As Kinana gripped his waist, he put his free index and pointer fingers up to his forehead and engaged his instant transmission. They reappeared on the far side of the city, near the palace. "Glad to know unlocking our second origins were good for something," the boy grinned happily. "I've never been able to teleport with other people before."

"Thanks for the save, man," Gray sighed in relief. "She's getting to be too much."

"Then _tell her that_ ," his friend said firmly. "It's not fair to her or you that you keep dragging things on."

"I'm not dragging things on!" Gray protested. "I'm just waiting for her to take a hint. She can't keep this up forever, can she?"

"Love can make people do weird things," Kinana shrugged.

"Infatuation and obsession, when perceived by someone as love, even more so," Gorun added. "She's convinced herself that she's in love with you, and she will continue to do so unless you give her a reason to do otherwise."

"That's the thing," Gray growled as he started pacing back and forth. "She's in love with an image that's nothing like me. She thinks I'm this perfect 'Ice Prince' kind of guy or something. I'm not- I don't like romantic restaurants, I hate sappy music, and I definitely don't want a ton of kids like she says I do."

"Don't like kids?" Gorun grinned crookedly.

"It's not that," Gray muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Sure, I'd like to have a family someday, but not a big one. And I definitely don't wanna share that future with someone who doesn't even care to know the real me!"

"And you haven't told her this because…?" Gorun let the question hang. "And don't give me that 'I don't wanna hurt her' excuse. It's old and useless."

Gray paused, gathering his thoughts. Eventually, he just shrugged at the other boy. "I don't know why, if not that," he said. "She's a great member of the guild, but there's no attraction there for me. Whenever I think about what kind of woman I'd want to marry, I think of…" His voice trailed off, but both of the other teenagers knew that he had been about to say 'Ur.'

It made sense, in a way. She was the embodiment of everything he had found himself missing in a family- a will of iron, courageous to the point of giving up her life to save her students, and kind to anyone who needed some warmth in their life.

While Juvia was strong and kind in her own way, her moral standards were far below that of Ur's. Her kindness only extended to those in Fairy Tail and a few others outside it, and oftentimes she would turn on her allies in a fit of jealous rage if she thought they were trying to steal Gray from her. Ur had reached out to complete strangers and given them new lives without asking anything in return. Juvia's will was only a force to be reckoned with if Gray was somehow involved. The rest of the time, she didn't seem inclined to put much work into anything. Ur's resolve and will to live helped her not only survive the loss of her daughter, but find new purpose in the form of Gray and Lyon. If Gray were to leave Juvia behind metaphorically, or die in the line of combat someday, there was no telling what might become of her.

When one considered all of these things, it was no wonder Gray wasn't interested in Juvia. It wasn't that she was bad person- she simply wasn't up to his standard of a potential life partner.

"Okay, I think I understand," Gorun said quietly. "Sorry I pushed so hard. I just wanna make sure you're okay, ya know?"

"I appreciate it," Gray told him. "I really do. It's weird though- I don't think I've ever been able to have a heart-to-heart with anyone in the guild like this."

"Heh, well considering all the meatheads we've got around us, I can't say I'm surprised," Gorun laughed. He put an arm around his girlfriend and added, "Good listeners are hard to come by."

"Tell me about it," Gray laughed back. "Whaddya say we go find a bite to eat? My treat since you saved me."

"I'm game, how about you?" Gorun asked Kinana.

"As long as we have time to go see the castle gardens before they close," the girl said.

"Sounds like fun, but I'll let you two lovebirds go that way without me," Gray said. "I can only play third wheel for so long."

* * *

The food was good, and the three friends had a fun time swapping stories while they ate. Gorun enjoyed hearing about the exploits of Team Natsu back before he arrived in their world. Gray in turn was curious about some of the work that Gorun had done during his seven year slumber on Tenrou. The one topic they stayed away from by unspoken consent was Gorun's past before he came to Fiore, but there was still plenty to talk about.

After the bill had been settled, the group went their separate ways, Gray saying that he needed to get back before midnight. Since he couldn't teleport, it would be a long walk, but he neglected Gorun's offer to take him back. "I could use the exercise," he laughed as he walked away.

"He seems like he's feeling better," Kinana said as they watched him go. "I think you helped him."

"I didn't do much," Gorun shrugged. "I just thought I was saying what needed to be said."

"Well, sometimes people have a hard time hearing what it is that needs to be said," Kinana smiled at him. "You helped him find the reason for his aversion to Juvia so that he can figure out how to deal with it. Not everyone can see the source of a problem right away, you know."

"Well, Master Piccolo always told me that finding the heart of a problem is usually the best way to counter it," he sighed. "He taught me the importance of analyzing everything you can and how to draw accurate conclusions, even with limited information."

"Do you miss them?" Kinana asked, noticing the faraway look in his eyes.

"If I'm being honest, yeah," he nodded. Looking back at her, he smiled and kissed the top of her head and added, "Not enough to give this up, though. C'mon, there's some flower gardens calling your name."

"Okay, as long as we get back to the hotel by midnight," she reminded him. "You don't wanna be late- Gajeel would tear you a new one."

"Pfft, I'm honestly more worried about Juvia trying to drown me for getting in between her and Gray," he laughed. "Hopefully Mirajane and Laxus will back me up."

"Mira, maybe, though she's kind of a big fan of Juvia and Gray getting together," Kinana giggled. "Laxus probably won't care as long as you can all compete." Kinana and the Thunder Legion were the only ones outside of Gorun and the other aforementioned wizards that knew about Makarov's plans to enter two teams into the Grand Magic Games.

* * *

This had partially been at the request of Jellal, who had originally been planning to enter the games disguised as Mystogan, his Edolas counterpart, as to get a closer look at the games. All of which was due to the strange magic power he had been sensing there every year. Gorun and Laxus had both opposed this idea, for multiple reasons, among them being the fact that Mystogan was _known_ by several Magic Council members to be back in Edolas, and that his magic was vastly different from the Edolas Prince's style- he would be given away if he was called upon to compete.

"I don't have a problem with you going under cover as one of us, but not if you're going to be in the spotlight," Gorun had said with a frown. "Too risky, and if you're caught in the capital of all places, chances that you get away are slim."

"I still want to be able to have a closer look at the magic power that shows up every year," Jellal insisted. "Urtear and I are positive that it is reminiscent of Zeref himself. If we're right, there can be no mistakes made."

"I know, and getting yourself caught counts as a pretty big mistake," Gorun frowned. "I didn't send the rune knights on a wild goose chase- twice- to see you get caught on their front doorstep. If you come with us as Mystogan to support us from the sidelines, no one is going to think twice about you if you're just one of Fairy Tail's sideliners."

"The lad does make a good point, Jellal," Makarov said. "Maybe we'd better keep you on the roster as a reserve member."

"Reserve member?" Gorun asked.

"According to what we know, as long as we don't have more than five members on a team at any given time, we can tag out members that need to rest or recover from injuries," Mirajane said.

"I don't care about all this Zeref mumbo jumbo as long as I get to punch somebody at these games," Gajeel said disinterestedly.

"Just keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual," Jellal cautioned them. "As I told your master, we've never been able to get in close, so we have no idea what might be lurking in the shadows of the stadium…"

* * *

"Gorun!" Kinana gasped, tugging hard on his arm and pulling him out of his reverie. "Look at that!"

"Huh?" he asked, confused. He'd been so wrapped up in his memory of the meeting that he had hardly noticed that they were in the castle gardens. "What's wrong, Kinana?"

"Isn't that Wendy?" she asked, paling as she pointed urgently at a collapsed form. In the lengthening shadows of the afternoon sun, it was hard to tell, but…

Gorun's eyes widened as he reached out with his senses and detected that it was in fact their guild mate, lying next to Carla, and both of them dangerously low on magic power. "Dear Shenron, what happened?" he asked as they made a dash for the downed wizards. Gathering up the little girl in his arms, he shook her gently, saying, "Wendy! Wake up! Hey, wake up!" She gave him a pained grimace and shuddered, but did not awaken.

"Gorun, Carla has a fever," Kinana said worriedly as she placed a hand on the white cat's forehead.

"So does Wendy," Gorun growled. "This isn't a natural sickness, though. They're both dangerously close to being out of energy- looks like an acute onset of magic deficiency syndrome." Reaching into a hidden pocket with his tail, he grabbed the senzu that he kept for immediate emergencies and deposited it into his hand before hiding the extra limb again. "C'mon Wendy, eat up," he told her as he put the green bean in her mouth.

She bit his finger lightly on reflex as he deposited the item, but as soon as he withdrew his hand, she managed to slowly chew up the plant and swallow. "Come on, come on…" he said impatiently.

"Nrgh… huh…?" she said weakly, blinking owlishly. Then the moment passed and she was wide awake, though why she was crying and trembling in terror was beyond Kinana.

Gorun, however, picked up on the clues almost immediately, and his eyes narrowed. "Someone must have attacked them," he said as he regathered Wendy in his arms and stood up. "Drained their magic to the point of sickness to try and cripple our team."

"Why would anyone do that, though?" Kinana asked with a concerned frown as Wendy buried her face in Gorun's shoulder and continued to cry in fright. "As far as everyone is concerned, we're just a laughingstock."

"Fairy Tail has been for the last seven years," Gorun scowled. "Maybe this is somebody that has something against our guild personally, not just where the Grand Magic Games are concerned." Looking back at Kinana, he said, "Regardless, it's not important at the moment. We need to get Wendy back to her team's room, let them know what's happened. And I should go get another senzu for Carla in case Wendy isn't up to healing her."

"I don't think she's going to be in any condition to participate in the games tomorrow," Kinana told him as she moved to place a hand on his shoulder while he prepared instant transmission, which was a little difficult with the child in his arms. "Natsu's team might need a substitute."

"I recall Elfman was disappointed that he didn't get to participate," Gorun said as he got his fingers in place and began sensing for Erza's energy. "Maybe he'll volunteer to take her place if need be." With that, he engaged his instant transmission, and the four wizards reappeared in the room where Fairy Tail's first team was staying.

Erza eyed them all with surprise as she stood up- dressed in nothing but a bath towel. "Ah, crap!" Gorun shouted, closing his eyes and looking the other way. "Sorry, Erza! It's an emergency, please don't kill me!"

"What?" Erza asked, not sounding at all angry like Gorun thought she would be. "Did something happen?"

"Erza, could you please put on some clothes so that Gorun will turn around and talk to you?" Kinana asked with a weary sigh, aware of both her boyfriend's chivalrous behavior and Erza's indecency habits, and the fact that if someone didn't speed things along, Wendy and Carla were never going to get help.

"I don't see how my state of attire should affect his ability to speak, but all right," Erza shrugged, and there was the sound of a requip along with a flash of light. "There, is that better?" Gorun turned around to see that Erza had donned some purple pajamas, and he breathed a little easier.

"Yeah, thanks," he said as he set down Wendy on a bed next to him. He heard Erza's sharp intake of breath and he added, "We think that she and Carla were attacked- we found them drained of almost all their energy in the castle gardens. I gave her a senzu bean, so she's physically healthy, but it seems like she's in shock." Indeed, Wendy still had not spoken, only continued to shake and cry silently where she lay.

"Whoever did this has no idea what they've brought on themselves," Erza said, rage clear in her voice now. Gorun looked up to see the redhead with clenched fists, a vein bulging in her forehead, her entire body shaking with anger. "Attacking one of us… a little girl, no less…"

"Will you look after her?" Gorun asked as he stood up straight. "I need to get another senzu for Carla- something tells me that she might be in a better frame of mind to tell us what happened."

"Of course," Erza nodded fiercely, a sword spawning in her hand.

"I'll stay with Erza, just in case," Kinana told him, adding a discreet nod of her own.

"Thanks- I'll be back in a moment," he promised. He put his fingers up and vanished. Less than a minute later, he was back to find that the others of the team had arrived, and were crowded around Wendy and Carla, all of them concerned about their friends.

"Stand back, Gorun's here," Erza ordered, and they all stepped back obediently to let him administer the magic medicine. Since she was a lot smaller than a human, he didn't want to risk her choking on the bean, but he had a solution for that. He used his fingers to crush the plant into powder before having Lucy pass him a glass of water that he mixed the stuff into. From there it was a matter of getting Carla to drink it in her unconscious state, which was a bit of a chore.

Still, they managed to get the job done, and soon the little cat was awake. "Hey, Carla," Happy said worriedly as he held the other exceed's paw. "Are ya doin' okay? Need a fish?"

"I feel fine, all things considered," she answered shakily. Apparently like Wendy, whatever had attacked them had shaken her up pretty badly, though at least she was responding to their questions. "But that creature…"

"Creature?" Gorun repeated. "You saw what attacked you and Wendy?"

The little cat looked up at him before slowly shaking her head in the negative. "I only remember a small blur," she muttered. "Then everything went dark. Next thing I know, I'm waking up here."

"Rrgh…!" Gorun snarled, ready to punch a hole through a mountain out of frustration. "Damn whoever did this!" he hissed. "I'm gonna vaporize them!"

"We may yet get that chance," Erza said, though from the sound of her voice, she shared the sentiment. "It's very likely that whoever did this is participating in the games."

"Speaking of which…" Gray winced. "I don't think we can make Wendy participate in the games with the condition she's in. We need another member."

He and the rest of the team looked hopefully at Gorun, who paled slightly as he remembered that he was supposed to keep the existence of the second team a secret. "Well, I would…" he began.

Fortunately, Kinana was as smart as she was pretty. "Master Makarov has another job for him while we're here in the city," she told them. "Jellal is actually here in Crocus, and since Gorun knows how to sense his energy from a long range, he's our guild's go-between in case we spot anything suspicious."

Catching on, Gorun warmed up to the idea quickly. "Yeah, and if I was to compete, it might interfere with my ability to go relay information to him."

"Aw man!" Natsu sulked.

"Bummer, I know you really wanted to compete for us," Gray frowned.

Gorun made a show of frowning as he said, "I did, but this is just as important, if not more so. I'm fine with the role I have to play."

"That's very mature of you," Erza nodded. "Do you have any ideas as to who could be our fifth member, then?"

"Well…" he hesitated, then was struck by an idea that brought a huge grin to his face. "Why not take Kinana with you?" he suggested.

"Wh-what?!" she yelped in surprise.

"Kinana?" Natsu asked with polite disbelief. "Uh… Really man? I mean, no offense, but…"

"She can fly like me, and I taught her several spells that use ki magic," he told them. "She might surprise you."

"G-Gorun, I don't know about this…" Kinana said, wringing her hands nervously. "I mean, yeah, I had my second origin unlocked, too, but I… I'm not a fighter like you."

"Wendy's hardly a fighter," Gorun pointed out. "Besides, our only other options right now would be Elfman and Levy, and out of you three, I'd pick you."

"You're kinda supposed to pick me," Kinana laughed nervously.

"Hey, what's wrong with Levy?" Lucy demanded.

"And Elfman is plenty strong in his own way," Erza added with a frown. "Not to mention Juvia, Cana, and Mirajane."

"Nothing's wrong with Levy, and I know Elfman has grown in the last few months," Gorun replied. "Not to mention, I'm pretty sure Cana's already hitting up the bars, Mirajane doesn't like fighting as far as I can tell, and do we really trust Juvia to keep her head on if she has to work next to Gray? In all honestly, Kinana is stronger than Elfman with the training I've given her."

"How?" Natsu asked with his arms folded. "There's no way she's stronger than Elfman! He can bench-press a mountain!"

"He _trained_ in the mountains, although we don't know that he _didn't_ lift one of them at some point," Lucy told her partner.

"I think you're all missing a very important point here," Erza interrupted. Pointing at the purple-haired girl, she said, "This is all moot if Kinana doesn't _want_ to compete." At that, the others all stared at her, as if expecting an immediate answer.

"Uh… Umm…" she said nervously. "If I do… would Wendy take my place back once she's better?"

"I… will," said a weak, shaky voice that made them all turn around again. Wendy was staring at each of them, still trembling with wide eyes, but she managed to hold Kinana's gaze. "Please… compete in my place until I recover. I'm so sorry… I let you all down." She began to cry again, wrapping herself in the blanket and hiding herself underneath her pillow so she wouldn't have to see their pitying looks.

She felt a strong hand on her shoulder, and a soothing voice say, "You haven't let anyone down, Wendy. We're gonna find out who did this… and take 'em down, whether it's in the games or out." Gorun moved away from her, his eyes hard as he moved to leave the room. At the door, he turned around and met his girlfriend's eyes to ask, "You sure you want to do this? I'll understand if not."

"Wendy's putting her faith in me," Kinana replied quickly, a determined light in her eyes now. "I won't let her, or the rest of the guild, down." She showed him her right shoulder, which bore her gray Fairy Tail mark. She once had a purple one on her lower back, but since she and Gorun had grown close, she had it moved and changed to match the color of his eyes.

"Then it appears we have our team," Erza said, glancing at the clock. "An hour to go before midnight…" Turning back to Gorun, she said, "Go, inform Master Makarov of this development."

"Will do," he nodded. "Good luck, all of you." With that, the door closed.

"I hope he doesn't do anything stupid…" Kinana winced as she sat down at the foot of one of the beds.

"What makes you say that?" Erza asked.

"He gets kind of irrational when someone he cares about is hurt," she answered as she looked out the window to see him leaving the building, his shoulders hunched, his frame tense.

"Don't we all?" Erza smiled, but the expression was dropped when Kinana looked back at her sharply.

"You don't get it," she told them, standing back up. "That golden takeover form of his? I've only seen it twice in the entire time I've known him. The first time he showed it to me, he was sharing a part of his secret with me. The second time, we were on a job together and some bandits nearly kidnapped me when he wasn't looking. He went berserk trying saving me from them- most of them didn't survive."

"He killed them?" Lucy asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, though I don't think that was his goal, because he seemed sorry about it afterwards," Kinana said quietly. "He's just that strong in that state- he can't fully control his own strength. But whenever he gets angry, it's hard for him not to engage the transformation. And seeing poor Wendy like this…" She looked back out the window. "I hope that for his sake, whoever did this gets caught by someone else in the guild first."

"You really understand him well, don't you?" Erza remarked.

"It's one of the reasons we work well together, both on jobs and as a couple," Kinana said with a faint smile.

"Aw…" Lucy smiled.

* * *

It was nearly midnight before they knew it. The group had just started to doze off when Elfman and Lisanna arrived with armfuls of food and drinks. "Hey guys!" the white-haired girl said cheerily by way of greeting. "We brought you some stuff so you could get ready for the games!"

"Hey, thanks!" Gray said as he stood up and moved to help them unload some of the food form a basket that Lisanna was carrying. "This is really nice of you guys."

"How's Wendy doing?" Elfman asked as he saw the little girl asleep in her bed. "Gorun told us all about it down at the bar- he seemed pretty mad."

"She's resting now, although she's doing fine on the physical side of things," Erza informed him. "She's in shock- the experience of having her power drained so violently has taken a toll on her."

"Poor thing," Lisanna said sympathetically. "I hope she gets better soon."

"So do I," Kinana said as she accepted a drink from Elfman. "She named me her replacement on the team. So until she gets better, I'm gonna be representing Fairy Tail in her stead."

"What?!" Elfman sputtered. "I thought Gorun was gonna compete!"

"He has other things he needs to do, and he trusted me to get the job done," Kinana explained. "Besides, it was Wendy's call to make."

"But letting your woman do the fighting for you… that's not manly!" Elfman protested. He looked like he was about to go on, but he was stopped by the sound of the city bell tolling the midnight hour.

"All right, it's midnight," Erza said as the group all stood together. "Now what happens?" The answer came with a violent upheaval- literally.

"Is the inn rising up?!" Lucy shouted as the building shook and the neighboring establishments fell away.

"Looks that way!" Gray shouted as he held onto his bedframe to help keep himself steady. "Just hang on!"

Then, as soon as it had begun, it was over. The room stopped shaking and moving, and everything seemed normal for a moment. Only now the Honey Bone Inn stood a few hundred feet in the air, as did several other buildings across the capital, as they could see from their balcony.

"What's the big idea?!" Lucy demanded of no one in particular.

"Attention, all competitors participating in this year's Grand Magic Games!" a high-pitched voice echoed throughout the city.

"Outside, everyone!" Erza ordered. The group all gathered on the balcony to see…

"Whoa! A great big pumpkin!" Happy exclaimed as they beheld the projection of a mascot with a pumpkin's head.

"Welcome one, welcome all!" the pumpkin announced. "This year's Games have one-hundred-thirteen guilds competing for the top spot, but first they'll have to get past the preliminary round!"

"One hundred and thirteen?" Lucy asked out loud. "Anyone else think that number seems a little high?"

"Yeah," Kinana agreed with a frown. "I don't think that there's even that many guilds in the country… This seems fishy to me."

"The number of guilds and competitors grow every year, but 'the games are getting boring' is all I ever hear," the mascot continued in a sing-song voice. "So now I say, 'Let's cut the number down and give only eight a cheer!"

"Over a hundred guilds cut down to eight in one event?" Gray asked with wide eyes. "That's crazy! How're they planning to do that?"

As if to answer him, the pumpkin pointed above himself, where they could all now see a bizarre-looking sphere roughly half the size of the city floating in the sky. "Allow me to introduce the Sky Labyrinth!" he cried. "The rules are simple- be one of the first eight teams to make it to the goal inside the labyrinth, and you get to move on to the main events! All five members must cross the line for it to count! Also, you may use magic in any way you like- there are no restrictions!"

"No restrictions…?" Erza muttered. From the look on her face, she was concerned as to how far that meant other competitors would go to secure the win.

Again, as if he were addressing their questions, the pumpkin man added, "A final warning; the Grand Magic Games Committee will not be held responsible for any loss of life in the Sky Labyrinth or any of the other events this week. All wizards entering are doing so at their own risk."

"Man, these guys are hardcore," Natsu said, even as wooden planks began to materialize in front of them, forming a primitive staircase through the open air that reached all the way up to the maze in the sky.

"Are you ready, contestants?" the pumpkin man called out. "The Sky Labyrinth Preliminary Round begins… now!"

"Come on!" Erza shouted as she requipped from her pajamas into her silver standard armor. "We need to be one of the first eight teams to clear the maze and get to the next round!" Then she was running up the ramp, everyone else right behind her.

Only Kinana stayed behind for a moment to look back at Lisanna and Elfman. "Look after Wendy and Carla, okay?"

"You got it!" Lisanna grinned. "Now go win one for Fairy Tail!"

"Pound those other guilds like a real man!" Elfman called after her.

"Guys!" Kinana called after she caught up. "Grab onto me!"

"What?!" Natsu asked as he looked back at her to notice that she was flying.

"I can get us there faster!" she told them. "Two of you grab my arms, and the other two grab onto them! Hurry now!"

"Are you sure you'll be able to take our weight?" Erza asked as Lucy grabbed on to her left arm, and Natsu latched onto her.

"I'm sure, now do it!" Kinana told them. Without any further hesitation, Gray jumped up and grabbed onto her right arm while Erza grabbed onto his left leg. Immediately the girl began to slow down, and Erza frowned as she noticed the fact.

"Kinana, are you-"

"Shut up, I'm concentrating!" the girl replied, her voice strained. The fact that she had told Erza, of all people, to be quiet so abruptly seemed to be lost on her at the moment. "K… Kai…."

"Wait a sec…" Gray said, eyes wide as he stared up at the girl. "Is she-?"

" _Kaioken!_ " she screamed, a red magic circle coming to life above her head before a familiar red aura appeared around her body, causing her to regain and surpass her original speed in a matter of seconds. Not only that, she no longer seemed to be straining to hold them all up in the air.

"Holy cow, Kinana!" Lucy called up. "Gorun wasn't kidding- you really are amazing!"

"This is totally awesome!" Natsu laughed with glee. "Look out, other guilds! Fairy Tail is coming to kick your butts!"

* * *

 **Closing Song: Dakari Hitori Ja Nai (Original or cover by Amanda Lee)**

 **Mataras: All right! Time for one of my favorite arcs in this show!**

 **Gorun: You're enjoying yourself quite a bit, aren't you?**

 **Mataras: How could you tell?**

 **Gorun: You're usually more in the mood to blow stuff up than be all celebratory.**

 **Mataras: I'm loving my own story. So sue me.**

 **Gorun: I won't to do that, but I think a few people will have some questions that we should get done in advance. The first being, 'I thought you were going to be nicer to Cana. What happened?'**

 **Mataras: All in due time. Not before, and not after. I haven't forgotten, no worries.**

 **Gorun: Okay... How about 'Why are you bashing on Juvia now? Wasn't Cana enough?'**

 **Mataras: Okay, that's a loaded question. However, I'll boil it down to one basic fact in order to keep things simple for now- Juvia's entire personality is based off of her interactions with Gray. She has little to nothing outside of that going for her character. Much like with Cana's boozing out, it irritates the devil out of me. However, unlike Cana, I don't see much of an opportunity for character development being given to her, because again, _all_ of her persona is centered around someone else. There's not much I can work with there.**

 **Gorun: How about a cheap running gag?**

 **Mataras: That's what I have you for.**

 **Gorun: What?!**

 **Mataras: What.**

 **Gorun: ...Moving on, but I'm coming back to that one later.**

 **Mataras: Oh come on, your trump card was invented because Toriyama wanted to be lazy!**

 **Gorun: How's that my fault?!**

 **Mataras: It's not, really. I was just-**

 **Gorun: Don't you _dare_.**

 **Mataras: ...saiyan.**

 **Gorun: All right, next time on Saiyan Tail- War at the Games. Provided Mataras lives long enough to publish it. _Hyah!_**

 **Mataras: Hey! No Super Saiyans backstage!**

* * *

 **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**

"The competition has yet to begin, and yet here we find ourselves being treated with hostility," the armored man said while his companions recoiled in shock from his sudden appearance. "Whatever did we do to deserve such scrutiny?"

"Try years of dark guild activity for starters," Gorun snarled. "I know who you are, Raven Tail. I've done my homework."

"So have I," the faceless wizard shot back. "They call you Fairy Tail's strongest these days… Though the fact that the rest of your guild is filled with trash doesn't lend that title much credit."

Gorun had to actively restrain himself from tearing the man limb from limb- his Saiyan instincts were screaming at him to exact vengeance on the guild that had dared to harm his family. So it was with enormous effort that he said, "You know, I don't think I got your name. Care to share?"

"Here I thought you had done your homework," the man replied snidely. "I am Alexi, Gorun of Fairy Tail."

"Hello Alexi, there's a friend I'd like you to meet sometime this week," Gorun pretended to smile pleasantly. "His name is 'the dirt', and I'm sure that your relationship will be _intimate_."


	6. War at the Games

**A/N: Okay, so I thought about releasing this on July 4, seeing as it's the birthday of my homeland, but I didn't, for two reasons. One, a lot of the people that could or would read this would (or at least should) be spending the day with family, and not being here too much. Not to say that I don't want you guys to read this (or review, for that matter- please, do review), but you know, priorities. Also, the second reason is one that any Fairy tail fan worth their salt should know- and that is that July 7 is the important day for things to happen in Fiore!**

 **Now, it's time to see just what kind of impact Kinana and Gorun will have on the Grand Magic Games, as opposed to Elfman and Jellal (then Cana)! Please enjoy what I have prepared, and be sure to leave a review!**

 **P.S. More TFS references inbound! Their abridged series of DBZ is awesome, and I love using this story to pay them homage!**

 **OP Song: Dragon Ball Heroes (cover by MasakoX and Mark de Groot)**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 3_

 **War at the Games**

"Well, they said no restrictions…" Natsu grinned.

"Remember, our guild's honor is on the line," Erza said sharply. "Hold nothing back- show them our strength."

They entered the labyrinth to encounter a few familiar- yet unwelcome- faces after only a few minutes of wandering around. It seemed that even Twilight Ogre had decided to enter the games this year. "Hey, it's those Fairy Tail losers!" shouted Teedo, pointing at them with his spiked club. His cohorts all laughed at them, setting their teeth on edge at the sound. "Waste 'em, boys!"

"Let's show them why messing with our guild while we're not around was a bad idea!" Gray shouted, bringing his hands together, the temperature around him lowering instantly. " _Ice-make: FLOOR!_ " He slammed his palms into the ground, and the walkway between them and their enemies quickly froze over in a sheet of slick ice.

The Ogres found themselves struggling not to fall over each other, much less make any headway against their targets. Not that the Fairy Tail team had any intention of letting them get close. To their surprise, Kinana stepped forward, her Kaioken activating again as she said, "Leave this one to me, guys. You got all the payback last time- now it's my turn."

"Ha!" one of the men from the rival guild laughed. "It's the little barmaid!"

"Yeah!" added Teedo. "Where's that loser boy toy of yours? Did he go find himself another squeeze since you's too shy?"

Normally, Kinana was a very kind-hearted, sweet-tempered individual. She was not prone to violence like many of her guild mates, and she certainly didn't think that fists should be used as a primary solution for difficult problems. However, even she had a limit. Teedo had just exceeded that limit.

"That's crossing the line, Teedo," she snapped, the sudden viciousness in her voice and rapid increase in her magic power making the Twilight Ogres stop in place with surprise. "Don't _ever_ mock my Gorun!" She clenched her fists at her side and began to reform certain magic circles in her head while preparing to release more energy.

"What're you gonna do, little girl?" Teedo laughed again, trying to bluff his way through. "Yer team ain't got a chance at this competition. You ain't got near enough magic power to beat me or my boys. You _certainly_ ain't good enough to even keep up with the rest of those losers that you call a guild. Yer just a barmaid."

"Yeah?" she hissed, three red circles appearing above her head and she placed her hands in front of her to form a triangle. "You know what? Forget this competition. Forget magic power! And forget _you_!" Her aura blazed with ferocity, even as a crystal blue magic circle appeared in front of her. " _Shin… KIKOHO!_ "

* * *

Gorun narrowed his eyes as he stared down a group of five wizards, all of them getting ready to attack with their magic. Without looking back at the others, he said, "These guys are mine."

"No way, I didn't train for three months to sit on the sidelines," Gajeel chuckled as he moved forward to get ahead of the other young wizard.

Gorun didn't bother arguing. Instead, he let his actions speak for him in the form of the wizards being sent flying out of the labyrinth, all five of them in different directions. It happened so fast that all Gajeel could do was stare at the boy- who looked as though he had done no more than take a quiet stroll in the forest- as he spared his teammates a glance and said in a tense voice, "I've got some venting to do. Don't get in between me and my prey."

"That coulda been my fight, ya know!" Gajeel said angrily, though he made no move to cross his comrade. Apparently the display of speed and skill that Gorun had just put on was enough to rattle even his nerves of steel.

The boy ignored him, too wrapped up in his thoughts to care. _The bastards that hurt Wendy and Carla are probably somewhere in this maze… I need to keep an eye out for strong power levels, plus a magic that can take from others._ He ducked a fireball and turned slightly before speeding over and slugging the caster in the gut just hard enough to avoid permanent damage. The wizard let out a strangled groan before falling down into the city below- or at least, he would have, if not for the magic circle that appeared and caught him before he fell too far.

Eyeing the other wizards with contempt, he quickly scanned their power levels to confirm that they were nowhere near strong enough to defeat Wendy and Carla, then muttered, "All right. Which one of you gutter punks is next?"

"Face the pride of Titan's-!" _Crack!_ The man who had been speaking went off to join his comrade.

"He can't take us all at once!" said another, braver than the rest.

"If I had a jewel for every time someone told me that…" Gorun sniffed. He was about to send them after their comrades when he felt a massive spike of energy, followed by the labyrinth shaking enough to make most of the people in it lose their balance.

 _Was that…?_

* * *

Kinana sagged to the ground, heaving for breath and shaking like she had just lifted a house over her head. In front of them, an entire section of the maze had been destroyed, and the Twilight Ogres- along with several other wizards from other guilds- had been blasted out of the maze, thereby disqualifying them from the games.

"Holy cow, Kinana!" Lucy exclaimed as she came to sit by the other girl. "That was some serious magic power you released! …Are you okay?"

"I will be…" the girl breathed. "Just… give me a minute. That spell takes a huge amount of energy to fuel it…"

"That was totally awesome!" Natsu laughed. "Now the other guilds know Fairy Tail means business."

"Gotta agree with Natsu this time," Gray nodded, impressed by the amount of power the spell had unleashed. "That was some pretty crazy destructive magic."

"An impressive display," Erza agreed. "However, I would caution restraint in the future. We will not make progress fast enough if you wear yourself ragged."

"I know…" Kinana breathed. "I just… he made me so angry. I couldn't take it."

Erza's gaze softened a bit as she said, "I understand."

* * *

Despite numerous obstacles springing up- other guilds trying to knock them off the stage, the maze shifting and rearranging itself every twenty minutes or so- Natsu's team made it to the goal line, where the pumpkin mascot was waiting. "Congratulations!" he said as they approached. "You've made it past the preliminary round! Good job, all of you!"

"Awesome!" Natsu cried as he and Gray fist-bumped. "I knew we could do it! Hey, pumpkin guy- what place did we come in? I bet it was first place!"

"Uh… no," the short mascot deadpanned. "You're actually in dead last."

"Eh?!" Lucy squawked. "Last place?!"

"Good on you for making it to the finish line in time, though!" the host said cheerily. "Now, off you go! We've all got a big day tomorrow!"

The team trudged through the door, which glowed with a silvery light, and found themselves back in their hotel room. "Neat," Erza commented while the others sunk into their beds, glad to be able to rest. "At least we'll be able to get a few hours' rest before the games opening ceremony tomorrow."

"Guys… I'm sorry I cost us time at the beginning," Kinana said sadly. "If I hadn't lost my temper, we might have made better time."

"Naw, don't talk like that," Natsu grinned. "Thanks to your butt-kicking, we probably made it even faster than if we'd brought along someone else."

"Natsu is right, your power definitely helped our team," Erza told the other girl. "You should be proud- after all, we did make to the next round. We're only getting started."

Despite herself, a smile touched Kinana's lips as she looked around at her teammates. "Thanks, you guys," she said. "That means a lot to me."

It seemed as though Lucy wanted to say something, but there was a knock at the door. Gray went to open it, but was stopped by Erza holding him back by the wrist, who said, "Be careful. At this hour, it could very well be Wendy and Carla's attacker."

"I seriously doubt that an attacker would let us know he's there in advance," Gray pointed out. Erza considered the argument, then conceded the point, releasing the ice wizard's wrist so that he could open the door.

They were all a little surprised to see Gorun waiting on the other side, a tired smile on his face. "Hey guys," he said as they let him in. "Just thought I'd stop by and let you know that we moved Wendy and Carla to the same inn that the rest of us are staying at for the night. Master wanted to keep an eye on them personally, and he sent for that healer lady, Porlyusica."

"I thought your senzu bean things healed them up," Natsu frowned.

"They did, but Wendy is still in shock, and Carla is pretty shook up," Gorun shrugged. "Not much I can do about that, and even senzu beans have their limits."

"At least they're safe," Kinana said as she moved to give the young man a hug. "How are you? Looks like you've had a rough night so far."

"Something like that," he nodded as he relaxed in her arms. Looking at the others, he forced himself to smile a little brighter as he added, "Master Makarov said that your team made it past the preliminary round- congrats!"

"Thanks man," Gray said as he gave the other wizard a fist bump. "It was tough, but we got the job done. Not to mention your girlfriend kicks ass."

Gorun raised his eyebrows and looked at the purple-haired mage, who flushed with embarrassment. "I might've, uh… used the Kikoho," she admitted.

Her boyfriend blinked in surprise before asking, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, just tired," she replied reassuringly. "I got carried away, but thanks to my second origin, I'll be okay."

"Is that why the whole labyrinth shook?" he asked. "We could see it from the streets down below." Kinana nodded silently to show that she understood why he was lying- it wouldn't do to have the second team be a secret and have it be given away now that they had all made it to the next round.

"Indeed it was," Erza nodded, though she missed the look that passed between Gorun and Kinana. "I was certainly surprised- she had mentioned training with you before, but I doubt even my Adamantine Armor could have held up to such a powerful blast of energy."

"That strong?" Gorun seemed especially shocked at how strong Kinana had become.

"I was able to use the Kaioken three times without causing major stress to my body," Kinana told him. "I haven't really tested it yet, but I think five times would be my limit right now."

"Hey, that's no small feat," Gorun reassured her. "Not to mention that you used the Kikoho simultaneously… I'm impressed."

"Thanks," she smiled at him before he nuzzled her cheek.

"Just don't push yourself too hard," he said softly. "I don't want to come and found out one day that you hurt yourself permanently because of the magic I taught you, or worse, that you died from magic power depletion."

"I promise I'll be careful, just like I promised when you first started teaching me," she assured him.

"All I ask," he smiled at her.

"Not that I want to interrupt this lovely exchange…" Gray said sarcastically, causing the young couple to flush with embarrassment. "But we have to be up in time to get to the Coliseum for the opening ceremony."

"Right, sorry!" Gorun said as he and Kinana released each other. "I'll let you all get some sleep. See you all at the games tomorrow."

"See ya, man!" Natsu grinned. "Be sure to cheer us on."

"Of course," he said sincerely as he gave them all a slight bow before giving his girlfriend a goodnight kiss and exiting the room while shutting the door behind him.

* * *

The next day, at close to noon, the five wizards representing Fairy Tail in the Games stood inside one of eight entrance halls that led out into the sand pit of the Domus Flau Coliseum. All of them had been given purple-colored outfits by Makarov at breakfast, except for Kinana. Her outfit was being made last-minute because of the fact that she had replaced Wendy only the previous night.

"I dunno how I feel about these," Lucy frowned as she looked down at herself for perhaps the hundredth time since donning the outfit. She was wearing a three-piece outfit that consisted of a revealing top, a small jacket, and a short black skirt. At her waist were her keys and whip, and on her feet were thigh-length boots. "I guess they're not too bad."

"I'd feel better in my own clothing," Natsu grumbled. In all fairness, his clothing was not very different from his usual style- a pair of white pants, sandals, and a trench coat that left his right arm completely bare to show his crimson Fairy Tail emblem.

"I personally find them quite lovely," Erza commented, standing confidently in the new outfit. She wore a purple trench coat, a pair of metal gauntlets, and a pair of high-reaching boots like Lucy. However, unlike her teammate, she did not have pants, which Kinana would have thought to be incredibly embarrassing. Then again, Erza was used to a variety of clothing styles, and a lot of them could be considered incredibly revealing, so it made sense that the wardrobe change wouldn't faze her.

"Yeah guys," Gray added, leaning against the wall, dressed only in the pants and boots that came with his outfit. "They're not so bad- I'm pretty comfortable in mine."

"Say that after you've actually put it on!" Lucy snapped at him. The two things that every uniform had in common was that the color scheme consisted mainly of purple and white, with the exception of Lucy's outfit being lined with golden threads, and that they had a white version of the guild's emblem located on the left breast.

"I think you all look very nice," Kinana said with a bright smile. The expression faded a bit as she added, "I just hope mine fits okay…"

"I'm sure Gorun will be very taken with your outfit when it comes in," Erza grinned lightly.

"Yeah, if these uniforms are any indication," Lucy added, striking a pose. "These things are attention-grabbers if nothing else."

"That's kind of what I'm worried about," Kinana winced. "Gorun doesn't like very flashy clothes, or dresses that reveal… a lot." Case in point, she glanced down at her green dress, which covered most of her body, unlike the outfits a few of Fairy Tail's female population chose to wear on a regular basis.

"Oh," the blonde Celestial Wizard said, eyes slightly widened. "Is something wrong with him?"

"No, he just has a different taste in style that I find a little more endearing than most of the male population," Kinana sighed. "He also doesn't like it because he says it encourages other men to stare."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense," Lucy nodded. Adding a smirk, she added, "Perks of being a free agent, though- no one to tell me how to dress!"

"He doesn't _tell_ me!" Kinana protested. "He's not like that! He just… makes requests, and since I understand that he has a good reason for it, I do my best to accommodate."

"I hope he realizes how lucky he is," Gray said, putting the shirt and overcoat of his outfit on as he spoke. "I don't think I know of any girls that'd just modify their wardrobe just cos their boyfriend asked 'em to."

"I get the feeling Juvia would wear anything for you," Erza teased the young man, causing him to pound his face into the wall.

"Sorry about the wait!" a familiar voice called from further back in the hall. The group turned to see Bisca arriving with a purple clothing article in her hands. "We've just finished the last outfit. Here, Kinana." She handed the item over to the purple-haired girl with a big smile. "We were kinda pressed for time, so we made it pretty similar to what you usually wear, just a different color."

"Thank you, that's actually perfect," Kinana smiled back as she examined the clothing to see that it was indeed very similar to her current wardrobe. "How long do we have?"

"Ceremony starts in twenty minutes, so you still got time to change," Bisca informed them. "We'll all be up in the box seats reserved for competing guilds on the southern end of the stadium."

"Thanks for letting us know," Lucy told the older girl.

"Yer welcome- and good luck!" Bisca said as she waved farewell and headed back through the hallway.

"Ha!" Natsu grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "We don't need good luck. That number one spot is as good as ours!"

"Still, a bit of luck never hurt anybody," Erza muttered. Looking at Kinana, she said, "You'd better go get changed. Twenty minutes will go by faster than you think."

"Y-Yeah!" the girl nodded as she moved to access a nearby door that led to the girls' changing room. "Be right back!"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the team stood just inside the entrance to the arena, their backs straight and their chins up. Natsu was in the middle, to his immediate left was Lucy, and beside her stood Erza. On his right stood Gray, and next to him was Kinana, dressed in her new attire. The biggest difference between it and her green dress besides the color was that it came with leggings since there was a slit on either side of the garment that started at her hips and went down to the hem to allow for greater movement than a closed article.

"Ready, guys?" the dragon slayer asked.

"Ready," the others answered in unison. Together, they walked out onto the field as the announcer called them, ready to display the fierce pride that came from knowing that they were part of Fiore's greatest guild.

Boos and jeers greeted them, stopping them in their tracks just a few meters from the entrance they had walked out of. " _What?!_ " Natsu shouted.

Gray looked around, clearly unsettled by the hostility that they were receiving. "Didn't see that one coming," he muttered.

"Honestly, I'm surprised no one is throwing something at us," Kinana winced. "We told you that we haven't been in the public's good graces for years."

"Let them be," Erza shrugged, her face passive. Apparently the criticism wasn't fazing her. "We'll soon show them what we're made of."

"Er… Guys?" Lucy said as she pointed up into one of the box-seat sections, where their guild was gathered. "Am I the only one seeing that?" The others followed her gaze, and each of them were quite surprised by what they saw.

"Hooray! Hooray!" cried a familiar small girl with blond hair as long as she was tall. "Fairy Tail is the greatest guild of them all!"

"Master Mavis?" Erza voiced, sounding shocked. "She's here?"

"At least the ghost likes us," Gray deadpanned, still more than a little irritated by the rest of the stadium's population.

Natsu saw things differently. "Haha!" he laughed. "If the first master believes in us, we've got this in the bag! It's so awesome that she came all the way out here just to see us!"

"Indeed, let's not let her down," Erza nodded, having regained her composure.

The other eight teams were called out in the order that they had ranked during the preliminary rounds. In seventh had been Quatro Kerberos, an all-male guild that boasted an obnoxious amount of testosterone. As if to contradict them, out came the girls-only guild, Mermaid Heel. In fifth place had been Blue Pegasus, led by Ichiya and his protégés, though the person in the blue rabbit costume was unknown to the Tenrou survivors and Kinana. They didn't have much time to ponder it as the announcer called out the fourth-place team, Lamia Scale. Among them were Lyon, Jura, Toby, Yuka, and a young girl with pink hair that none of them had seen before, yet seemed familiar for some reason.

"Who's she?" Gray asked Kinana as they drew closer.

"No idea," the girl replied. "She might be a new member."

"That's not quite right," Lyon said as he stood about ten feet away from Gray. "This is Sherria, Sherry's younger cousin."

"Oh, makes sense," Fairy Tail's ice wizard nodded. "She use animated magic, too?"

"Now that would spoil the surprise," Lyon smirked. "Say Gray, I thought of a little something to make the Grand Magic Games a bit more interesting… that is, if you're not too scared to take on an extra challenge?"

"I ain't scared of anything, least of all anything you throw at me," Gray chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "What'd you have in mind?"

"A gentleman's wager," Lyon replied airily. "If Lamia Scale wins, then Juvia will join our guild."

"Wha?!" Gray was caught extremely off-guard. "Where'd that come from?"

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since the day we met!" Lyon sighed dreamily, sending a shudder through his old comrade. "So how about it? Is it a deal?"

"I'm pretty sure that's up to Juvia," Gray said dryly. "Ask her. Besides, what do I get if you lose?"

"We'll give Juvia back," Lyon replied simply.

"You can't do that! She's already a member of our guild!" Gray shouted, indignant. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered why the announcers were taking so long to announce the last three guilds. It might have had something to do with showboating, but it didn't really matter to him that much.

"Oh? And here I thought you weren't afraid of anything I could throw at you," Lyon said challengingly.

"Oh, I ain't afraid," Gray said tightly. "This is a crap bet- it doesn't matter what you ask for, cos it'll be Fairy Tail that takes home the prize this year."

Before Lyon could retaliate verbally, the announcers had apparently decided to move on. To the shock and horror of everyone in Fairy Tail, the team that had qualified in at third place was none other than Raven Tail, the guild formed and led by Makarov's vengeful son, Ivan.

"What the hell's a dark guild doing here?!" Natsu demanded angrily.

Kinana shared the sentiment, but chose to focus her anger and suspicion on something a little more subtle. _I'm not as good as Gorun at sensing power levels, but if anyone was going to try to undermine us by hurting Wendy, it'd be them…_ Reaching out with her senses, she tried to feel out which one of them could have possibly done the little girl and her exceed partner harm. The results she found were dismaying- all five of the wizards present were powerful, no doubt that any of them were strong enough to hurt her guild mates. _Especially that one in the gold armor…_ She stared at a menacing figure dressed in wicked-looking body armor that hid his face and frame, though his magic power was obvious.

"What're you lookin' at?" sneered a lavender-skinned, squat, spiky man with blond hair.

"Probably jealous of my figure," giggled a red-haired, indecently dressed woman with wild-looking crimson eyes.

"Doubt it," leered the only one in the group that actually looked somewhat normal, save for his pure black irises and wide mouth. Beside him stood a bizarre-looking man with blue _striped_ skin, a fat mouth and beady little eyes, dressed in a black cloak and hat. Perhaps even stranger was the little brown creature that sat on his shoulder with a black cape bearing a red Raven Tail mark. It resembled some kind of mutated cat, and something about it made Kinana shudder when she looked at it.

"Are you saying she's got a better body than me?!" the redhead shrieked in response to her companion.

"Quiet, Flair," hissed the armored man in a gravelly voice. "They don't want any extra grief… After all, their dear little friend is still recovering, isn't she?"

That last comment set everyone's blood to boiling. "It _was_ you!" Natsu snarled. "You attacked Wendy! Good-for-nothing scumbags!"

"I'd be careful with that mouth of yours, boy," the armored man replied smugly. "The fighting isn't until later, and if it isn't sanctioned by the judges, you just might find yourselves thrown out of the games for bad behavior."

Even to Natsu, the message was clear- now that Raven Tail was a legal participant in the games, any move against them outside of the competitions could be used to have them thrown from the event. Ivan's guild had the upper hand- for now.

"You _will_ pay for what you did to our comrades," Erza vowed out loud, and the others nodded their agreement.

"I look forward to seeing you try," the armored man replied with a slight laugh. Helpless to lash out at the evil people, the members of Fairy Tail contented themselves with sending smoldering glares at their enemy guild.

That is, until the announcers took everyone by surprise- including themselves. "This is something I didn't see coming!" Chapati, this year's commentator for the games, cried in shock. Even as they all watched, the tunnel holding the second-place team erupted with lightning that formed into a familiar shape. "We have… Fairy Tail Team B!"

" _WHAT?!_ " Everyone in the guild except for Kinana, the Thunder Legion, and Makarov screamed in shock.

* * *

 _Five Minutes Earlier…_

"So what're you gonna do if we win?" Gorun asked Laxus curiously. He was referring to the fact that Master Makarov had promised each member of the second team that they could force the other team to obey any command that they gave for a full twenty-four hours once the games were over, so long as their team made it through the games with a higher score. He did, however, warn them that once the other team was made aware of the ploy, the same conditions applied to them, ergo, if team B lost, they would be at the mercy of team A.

"Eh, there's a few errands I'll have 'em run," Laxus shrugged. "Maybe get a massage out of it."

"Huh, I'd have figured you'd force Natsu to be your punching bag," Gorun muttered.

"Meh, I can do that whenever," Laxus smirked.

"Fair enough, just leave my girlfriend out of whatever it is you have planned," Gorun said firmly.

"Why, you gonna take her for a night on the town?" Gajeel chuckled.

"Not that it's any of your concern, but yeah," Gorun shrugged. "I'll give this competition everything I have, but I see no reason to rub it in her face if our team wins. Besides, she wasn't supposed to originally compete- and Wendy'll be back soon, maybe by tomorrow according to Porlyusica."

"Just so long as you don't pull your punches," Laxus shrugged again.

"I think your idea is sweet, Gorun," Mirajane smiled pleasantly. "Almost makes me feel guilty for what I have in mind."

"…What _do_ you have in mind?" Gorun asked nervously. Something about her kind smile was off, he thought as she giggled to herself.

"Oh, I won't give out all the spoilers, but let's say that Sorcerer Weekly has been bugging me for a modeling gig since we got back," she replied in a sweet tone. "Seven years passed, and I haven't aged a day- they're very excited about it, apparently."

"What's that got to do with the other… team… oh," Gorun paled.

"I've always thought Erza would make a great model," Mira said as she continued to smile easily.

"Just leave Kinana out of it!" Gorun pleaded.

"Relax, like you said, she's only filling in for Wendy, so she's not going to be part of the punishment," Mira assured him. Turning to their last teammate, she asked, "So Juvia, what do you want to do with your day to order the other team around?"

"First I will have my beloved Gray assist me in getting rid of my love rivals," Juvia said while glaring at Gorun. "There are quite a few on the list, so I'll have to settle for a short wedding ceremony at the end of the day."

"Why is she looking at me?!" Gorun asked of no one in particular. He tried to ignore the fact that she also essentially planned to force Gray to marry her, which he doubted the boy would agree to, guild master's orders or no.

"You kind of ruined her plans with Gray for the afternoon yesterday, so I think you've been added to the list of 'love rivals' she has," Gajeel muttered aside to him. "Crazy chick's got rain for brains."

"Aren't you two old friends?" the Saiyan asked mildly. "Also, does she have an actual list? I'm betting yes."

Gajeel gave him a deadpan look before saying in a low tone, "Yeah, we go back, and probably. Not to mention I'd bet you're at the top somewhere with blondie."

"Lucy?" Gorun guessed.

"Yeah, the cheerleader," Gajeel said dismissively.

Gorun was about to ask why he seemed to be avoiding using Lucy's name, but then the announcer was calling for the second-place team. "Showtime," Laxus ordered as they lined up, him on the left flank, Gajeel at the head, and Mirajane between them. On the Iron Dragon Slayer's right stood Juvia, who continued to glare at Gorun as he took his place on the right flank. With a flick of his wrist, Laxus sent out a bolt of lightning that transformed into the guild's emblem just long enough for them to walk out as it faded away.

The Lightning Dragon Slayer was dressed in his usual getup, mostly black with a heavy overcoat that only sat on his shoulders, leaving his arms free underneath. Mirajane was wearing a black dress with white frills, while Juvia wore the same colors, only in a skin-tight, button-up coat that ran past her knees. Gajeel was wearing an all-black outfit, made up of a vest, loose pants, and steel-toed boots. While the vest left his arms bare, his right arm was covered in a sleeve made of black feathers.

Lastly was Gorun, who had refused to abandon his color scheme of dark blue and green despite a wardrobe change. Now he wore a short-sleeved gi that was lined with golden threads and hard leather boots, plus wrappings around his forearms and hands that matched the blue of his outfit. The material was light and comfortable, and allowed for easy movement, which was why he had chosen it- thicker garments and armor didn't interest him.

The crowd did not boo them like they had the first team, instead letting out several collective shouts of surprise and confusion. As the judges explained the rules concerning two teams from the same guild, the team walked out onto the field to stand close to their guild mates. Makarov was laughing heartily, daring anyone to challenge how their guild did things.

"What kinda crap is this?!" Natsu demanded. "I don't care if we are in the same guild! If you're on a different team, you're my opponent!"

"Oh believe me, I'm gonna enjoy making you eat dirt, Salamander," Gajeel grinned in what could be described as an evil manner.

As the others began engaging in banter, Gorun noticed Kinana making a discreet motion towards him, so they moved off to the side to talk. "What's up?" he asked with a grin. "Hope you're not gonna ask me to take it easy on your team- my Saiyan side is getting too hyped up for this competition."

"We know who attacked Wendy and Carla," she told him, causing him to drop his playful grin in a favor of a scowl.

"Who?" he asked quietly.

"You can't attack them yet," Kinana warned him. "They're protected by the rules of the games since they made it in, too."

Gorun's eyes swept the field and immediately locked onto Raven Tail's team. "Them," he snarled, clenching his fists.

Kinana saw him getting ready to move, so she grabbed his wrist and said, "Gorun, we can't. Not right now, anyway. They're considered a legal guild somehow, so if we fight them outside any of the game events, Fairy Tail could face legal repercussions."

His scowl deepened, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and exhale slowly in an attempt to calm his accelerated pulse. It didn't help much, but he turned to her and asked in as calm a manner as he could manage, "What's our game plan?"

"For now, we beat them in every event we can, and we make sure they know not to mess with us again, inside or outside the games," Kinana told him. "As for outside the competition… I'm sure Master has some ideas."

"I know I do," he growled. Glancing at her hand, which was still locked around his wrist, he added, "I won't do anything to break the rules. I promise."

She gazed into his eyes for a moment before nodding solemnly. "All right," she said as she let go. "Be careful. Their power levels were pretty high from what I could tell."

"They're no slouches," Gorun acknowledged. "But I can handle myself okay, too." With that, he engaged instant transmission and found himself suddenly in front of the Raven Tail guild. "Hello there," he said with a sneer that Vegeta would have been proud of.

"The competition has yet to begin, and yet here we find ourselves being treated with hostility," the armored man said while his companions recoiled in shock from his sudden appearance. "Whatever did we do to deserve such scrutiny?"

"Try years of dark guild activity for starters," Gorun snarled. "I know who you are, Raven Tail. I've done my homework."

"So have I," the faceless wizard shot back. "They call you Fairy Tail's strongest these days… Though the fact that the rest of your guild is filled with trash doesn't lend that title much credit."

Gorun had to actively restrain himself from tearing the man limb from limb- his Saiyan instincts were screaming at him to exact vengeance on the guild that had dared to harm his family. So it was with enormous effort that he said, "You know, I don't think I got your name. Care to share?"

"Here I thought you had done your homework," the man replied snidely. "I am Alexi, Gorun of Fairy Tail."

"Hello Alexi, there's a friend I'd like you to meet sometime this week," Gorun pretended to smile pleasantly. "His name is 'the dirt', and I'm sure that your relationship will be _intimate_." He spat out the last word like it was a curse.

"Threatening me could have _grave_ consequences," Alexi responded, making no effort to hide the emphasis on the word 'grave'.

"Not a threat," Gorun chuckled, this time in genuine amusement. "A promise." Then he was gone as quickly as he had come.

Laxus approached him with a frown. "What was that about?" he asked. Gorun recalled that Raven Tail had been founded, and was still run by, Laxus' father. The fact that his son hadn't followed his old man spoke volumes of where they stood in relation to one another.

"Just a promise to keep," the boy said, his eyes hard. _They hurt Fairy Tail… Team A or Team B, we're all the same guild, no matter what Natsu and Gajeel say. We_ will _punish the ravens for this._

His thoughts were interrupted as the announcers finally called in the first-place team, which was, of course, the Sabertooth guild team. In a way, it was thanks to them that Gorun's team had placed second- all he'd had to do was sense for the strongest cluster of power levels and use instant transmission once they had stopped moving around.

He hadn't gotten a good look at them last time, since they were moving through the gate that led them back to the outside, but now they were all showing off for the world to see. There was a beefy man with green hair that nearly put Super Saiyan 3 to shame, a girl clothed in a heavy white cloak with silvery-white hair, and a man dressed like a minstrel, complete with a ridiculous red hat that sported a massive pink feather. The pair leading them were giving off intense magical pressure, and in a way that Gorun immediately recognized.

 _So that's Sting and Rogue, the twin Dragon Slayers of Sabertooth,_ he thought grimly. One of them was blond with piercing indigo eyes and a wiry frame that resembled Natsu's build. The other was dressed with a dark brown cloak and had blood-red eyes framed by jet-black hair. Something in his gaze reminded Gorun of Gajeel for some reason. _Those two might actually prove to be a handful… Other than perhaps Lyon, and of course, Jura, I'd say there's no one more powerful than them among our rivals right now._

Despite himself, he smiled a bit, his Saiyan blood eager for a real challenge at last.

The announcers went on to explain the general rules for the events that were to come during the week. The teams would accumulate points according to how well they performed in events during the first half of the day, then again based on how they did in direct combat during the second half of each day's events. The first three days would be one-on-one fights, and the fourth would be double battles. Teams could choose which member participated in the first daily event, but not in the battles that took place afterward. What was more, the judges could have any single member compete as many times as they wanted on behalf of their guild's team. This meant that every selection for the first daily competition was a gamble- one could very well end up participating in both events for the day.

"Clever," Gorun muttered. "They give us a chance to choose who competes, but at the same time they can set up all kinds of crowd-favorite match-ups for battle."

"Not to mention they're still keeping us in the dark about what we're actually doing during the first events until _after_ we've picked the member that's competing," Mirajane added. "The only clue we have in advance is the name of the game."

In this case, for the first day, the name of the mystery event was 'Hidden'. "We can assume some kind of stealth factor is involved," Laxus remarked once they had gathered together.

"Not if the event is a search for something," Gorun argued. "Then speed becomes a more important factor. In which case we'd be better off sending in you or me."

"Hey, I've got the nose of a dragon," Gajeel interjected. "If we need to find somethin', I'm your guy."

"Laxus is a dragon slayer, too," Gorun deadpanned. "He can sniff an item out, and faster, since he can transform into lightning."

"Can't do both at the same time," Laxus admitted. "And Gajeel's nose is probably better than mine since it's not a sense I've spent a lot of time developing."

"If they send in the Salamander for a tracking game, we're as good as beat," Gajeel grumbled. "His nose is ridiculously sharp." Glaring at the others, he added, "If anyone tells him I said that-!"

"Not a word," Gorun sniggered. Turning, he said, "Juvia, what do you-? Where is she?" his question stemmed from their teammate's sudden absence.

"I'll give you three guesses, and the last two don't count," Mira told him.

"Oh no."

* * *

"What. The. Hell. Was that?!" Gorun demanded angrily as Juvia walked back among them, her expression glum. She had only managed to get seventh place in the event, and that was because Raven Tail's participant, the spiky man, had continuously targeted Gray throughout the event to the end that Fairy Tail's team A had come in dead last.

That wasn't the source of Gorun's anger, though. It was the fact that Juvia had allowed her infatuation with Gray to become an active distraction throughout the event, thereby costing her multiple points when she could have been making a rapid gain on the other guilds. Perhaps it was the fact that Juvia's ability to avoid virtually any attack if she was aware enough had not been used to any effect during the game that had added to Gorun's irritation.

"You got distracted like a little schoolgirl because your crush was on the playing field with you, instead of paying attention to what was important!" he snapped, causing her to look up at him angrily.

"And what if your beloved Kinana had been on the field?" she challenged. "Wouldn't you have done the same thing as me?"

"No," he replied with such conviction that it was like a slap in the face. "Because Kinana and I- not to mention Gray and basically everyone _but_ you- understand one simple fact." He thrust his face invasively close to hers to force her to maintain eye contact as he continued, "Our guild's _name_ is on the line. This is isn't the time for personal feelings, good or bad, to get in the way. Why do you think I haven't blown Raven Tail to kingdom come already?" When Juvia failed to respond, he turned away in disgust and finished with the words, "You were on Tenrou because Master saw your potential to become S-class. Now, more than ever, you need to act like it."

"Okay, I think she gets it," Mirajane said sternly as she noticed the rain woman's eyes welling up with tears. "That's enough, Gorun."

"I was done anyway," he scowled. Looking at the others, he asked, "Anyone else have anything to add?"

Juvia looked hopefully for any show of support from her teammates, but all Laxus did was shrug and turn away. Gajeel also lifted his shoulders slightly, but he didn't stay silent. "Kid's not wrong, Juvia," he said. "I know you could've gotten a better score than that. He might be an ass about how he's saying it, but I can't disagree with him."

Before Juvia could run out in tears, Gorun's voice stopped her in her tracks. "Remember this pain," he told her. When she looked back at him, she saw that he was staring out at the arena, not even looking at her.

"Wh-What?" she sniffed.

"Remember this moment, and the pain that it brought you," Gorun said tightly, clenching his fists. "Use it to become a stronger, better person." Vegeta's words spilled out of his mouth almost of their own accord, but he didn't try to stop them. There was wisdom in them, and he hoped that she would take them to heart. "There's no such thing as a painless lesson, Juvia. They simply don't exist. In order to learn, in order to grow, you must first lose something." Turning around to look at her again, she noted that while his bearing was less hostile, his eyes were no less fierce than before. "Will you learn from this? Will you learn to let go of what is holding you back? Or will you content yourself with remaining where you are, and your life becoming stagnant?"

* * *

What happened next did little to boost morale among the members of Fairy Tail. When Lucy lost to Flair, Gorun decided to push aside his anger by helping his wounded guild mate off the field along with Natsu. He knew that one of the Raven Tail wizards had drained her of all energy mid-battle, but he missed which one of them it was specifically. Since he had no proof of the fact either, it would do no good to lash out or accuse them of sabotage- which only made his temper worse.

"Hey man, what're you doing?" the pinkette demanded as Gorun appeared beside them and wordlessly slipped one of Lucy's arms over his shoulders. "We're on different teams!"

"I don't care," Gorun told him flatly. "Kinana and the rest of you have shown me time and time again that if we share this mark…" He jerked his head at his green emblem as he finished, "It makes us family. I won't sit on the sidelines while a member of our family is hurt, got it?"

Natsu gave him a blank stare for a moment, then a huge grin. "You're all right, Gorun," he said cheerily. "You're a Fairy Tail wizard for sure."

"Yeah…" Lucy said tiredly as she gave their new friend a teary-eyed, painful smile. "Thanks, Gorun…"

"Of course," he smiled back, though it was only a small movement of his lips. "Have Kinana get you a senzu bean, stat. If your wounds aren't treated soon, they could get infected, especially all those burns."

"No need," Natsu grinned again. "Gramps said the old lady is sticking around for the games to help us out if we get hurt! She'll have Lucy up and going in no time!"

"If you insist," Gorun said a little doubtfully, then shook himself in annoyance. _I'm getting too used to relying on those things,_ he thought. _Not to mention I have a limited supply that I've used quite a bit of in the last few days…_

Up above, they could hear Master Yajima, another one of the Games' commentators, saying, "Now here is a real show of sportsmanship- hat's off to this young man for helping out his guild member!"

"I have to agree, despite being on different teams, it's a nice thing for Gorun to do for Miss Heartfelia," Chapati added. "Despite having only one point between the two teams, I gotta hand it to this guild for having a heart." While some in the crowd seemed to sympathize with the announcers, the majority of them were still laughing and taunting Fairy Tail's Celestial Wizard as she made it to the tunnel, where Gray was waiting to help them along.

"I got it from here, man," the boy told Gorun, who stepped away. "You better get back to your place in case they call you up to fight."

"I _really_ hope they do," Gorun said with a cold smile. Then he was gone, teleporting back to where he sensed Laxus' energy.

"I almost feel bad for whoever he ends up fighting," Lucy said softly.

"What if he fights a raven?" Gray asked her.

"Then I'll say that they've earned it," she smiled slightly.

* * *

The following two matches were over quickly. Ren of Blue Pegasus fought against a woman from Mermaid Heel that used some kind of web-make magic. His air magic was nowhere near the same level as Wendy, but Gorun had to admit that his power and skill were respectable. He made short work of the woman as soon as he was able to get his head in the game, putting his guild's final score for that day at fourteen points.

The next fight was even shorter, not even lasting half a minute. A man that went by the moniker 'War Cry' from Quatro Cerberus went up against Olga from Sabertooth. Just from the difference in power levels, Gorun knew that there would be no contest between them. Sure enough, Olga blasted War Cry with a ball of black lightning that instantly rendered him a smoking, unconscious mess.

Laxus seemed interested in the magic that the green-haired, heavily muscled Sabertooth wizard used, because Gorun sensed his magic power raise ever so slightly at the sight of the strange-looking energy. The Saiyan had to admit, it was intriguing- the only time he'd ever seen energy blasts colored like that originated from what he had seen of Goku Black in the Time Patrol's history videos, and something about the energy itself seemed reminiscent of the fallen kai in disguise.

 _Very odd…_ Gorun thought, eyes narrowing. "That man's energy feels strange." He muttered just loud enough for 'Mystogan' to hear.

Jellal stiffened in surprise before moving closer to his teammate. He was dressed exactly as Mystogan had during his time as a Fairy Tail mage, complete with five bizarre-looking staves slung across his back. Technically he was there as a reserve member, but as had been discussed by him and Makarov, the disguise was for surveillance only.

"What do you mean?" he asked softly, his voice barely audible through the cloth mask that he wore.

"I've… sensed this kind of power before, a long time ago," Gorun half-lied. "It's reminiscent of a twisted god's power."

"A god?" Jellal asked, alarm in his voice. "Are you certain?"

"I wouldn't be saying anything if I wasn't," Gorun muttered. "I don't know if he's connected to Zeref, but the sensation that I'm getting from his power means that he needs watching."

"Understood," Jellal nodded. "I'll do my best to keep an eye on him."

"And I'll-"

"Next up we have Lamia Scale's Jura Neekos versus Son Gorun of Fairy Tail!" Chapati announced, silencing the Saiyan boy mid-sentence. "Looks like today's final battle might be over even faster than the last one!"

The others looked askance at Gorun, who simply frowned at the implied insult- it was clear that the crowd was expecting the Wizard Saint to crush him. "That's it," he growled. "We've had a day full of disappointments, and I won't add to them."

"Be careful," Jellal warned him. "He doesn't hold his title without reason. I know you're strong, but-"

I'll fight smart," Gorun said over his shoulder as he made to walk out the tunnel. "And I'll win."

"I dunno about this…" he heard Mirajane say. "Jura's strong enough that I doubt even Erza and I could beat him in a two-on-one battle."

"Are you kiddin' me?" Gajeel asked in disbelief. "That old baldy?"

"Yeah-huh," the takeover mage nodded nervously.

"Everyone," Gorun said firmly as he turned back to face them from the mouth of the tunnel. "Wendy and Carla… Gray, Lucy… even Juvia. I'm doing this for them. You can count on me." With that, he walked out of the tunnel, his right hand over his head with his pointer finger and thumb raised skyward.

* * *

The two combatants met in the middle of the sand arena and quickly sized each other up. Gorun noted quickly that Jura's power had increased since they last met, but not by a significant margin. _He's already one of the world's strongest wizards, so I suppose he wouldn't seek to boost his power as much as we did,_ Gorun thought quickly.

"I'm sorry we had to meet again under these circumstances," Jura said with a polite smile. "Personally, I'd like nothing more than to see Fairy Tail do well in these events. But I have a feeling that the old hag would have a fit if I were to let you win." His smile grew slightly broader and more ominous as he added, "Apologies, but I won't be holding back."

"Who said I wanted you to?" Gorun replied with a smirk of his own, his Saiyan blood burning, waiting only for the moment that the bell would sound, the second that the action could begin. "I've been wanting a good fight for years. Now it seems like I'll finally get it."

 _Gong!_ There was the signal that they had both been waiting for, and now they had thirty minutes to determine which of them the stronger warrior was.

" _Ten-layer magic circle: KAIOKEN!_ " Gorun roared, the spell taking effect so fast that most of the people watching didn't even see the magic circles come to life.

Jura saw them only briefly, and his eyes widened in surprise as he felt his younger opponent's magic power increase several times over. "Kaio-what?" he asked no one in particular. Apparently the snarky attitude wasn't just for show- Gorun had the skills and power to back his confidence. Against most opponents, he would be a deadly adversary. Iron Rock Jura was not most opponents.

With a flick of his fingers, he caused the ground in front of him to harden and change, sending pillars of stone rising from beneath the sand to strike at Gorun, who had settled into a fighting stance.

The boy's eyes narrowed behind the raging field of energy before he shot forward, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake as he charged straight at Jura, already knowing how to turn the man's tactic against him. Using his heightened perception, he felt the ground beneath him shift just before a solid column shot him up in the air, albeit a little faster than he had expected. Still, he was up, and his hands were already moving, the magic circle forming in his mind, more of an instinct than a practice now.

" _Kamehameha!_ " he shouted, the energy beam on its way to strike Jura where he stood, an explosion of dust hiding him from view even as Gorun landed atop one of them pillars that had stopped moving.

* * *

Off to the side, Natsu and the others were in awe of Gorun's skill. "This fight is gonna be awesome!" Natsu exclaimed happily.

"Why isn't he using that golden takeover form of his?" Erza asked Kinana curiously. "Surely it can't be very draining on him with the second origin unlocked by Urtear."

"It's not," Kinana confirmed. "It's just that if I know Gorun, he's testing Jura, seeing how much power he'll actually need to beat him."

"Toying with a Wizard Saint is never a healthy move," Erza frowned. "We should know, our master still holds that title. Look." As if to prove her point, a massive fist of hardened rock shot out from the cloud of dust, aimed to pulverize Gorun.

"Gorun's got this!" Natsu argued. "Watch!" Sure enough, the Saiyan erupted into motion, whirling his body at the speed of a tornado to hit the fist with a kick that knocked it away from its intended path, shocking most of the crowd. "See?!"

"Yes, I do see," Erza said flatly as the stone fist doubled back on itself at double speed and knocked Gorun into the sand down below.

"Don't count him out of the fight just cos Jura is a Wizard Saint," Kinana said firmly as they watched the boy rise from the ground, apparently unhurt for the most part. "That golden form of his is only the beginning of what he can do."

* * *

"You know…" Gorun grinned as he brushed off the rubble from his torn shirt. "After that whole 'second origin unlocking' thing, I wasn't even sure I would need this. But I shoulda known, with you being a wizard saint and all… half-assing this just won't do." The red aura he had summoned faded from his body, puzzling his opponent, and the onlookers. He had barely been keeping up Jura before, why would he stop using that amplification spell now?

Only a handful of people in the Fairy Tail stands waited with baited breath. If he was going to do what they thought he was, he just might have a shot at actually beating Jura.

This time when they felt his magic power being gathered, a golden magic circle appeared underneath his feet, even as the ground around him began to tremble with the pressure he was exerting. "Get ready, Wizard Saint!" he shouted, laughing. "Because I'm not hiding my power this time!"

"That would be a nice change of pace," Jura smirked, though he shifted to a more guarded stance. The child wasn't entirely bluffing, it seemed- the power surging through him was leagues above what he had been channeling so far.

For one, tense moment, the entire stadium was silent as the rumblings in the ground ceased. Then, with a bellow loud enough to wake the dead, Gorun shouted, " _Takeover: SAIYAN SOUL!_ " There was a blinding golden light that erupted from where the boy stood, forever changing the course of his destiny.

When it faded, he stood wrapped in a golden aura that radiated pure power, his now- blond hair standing on end while waving in a wind generated solely from his own body's energy surges. Emerald eyes had replaced the gray ones, and his muscles had become far more defined than before.

"What is this?" Jura couldn't help but ask.

"This?" Gorun laughed, his voice carrying a slightly harsh cast in it. "This is where the games begin, Wizard Saint."

* * *

 **Closing Song: Bye Bye Babylon by Cryoshell**

 **Gorun: I see the cliffhangers you're so loved and hated for have made their return.**

 **Mataras: Yeah, like I was gonna break pattern now.**

 **Gorun: Sadist.**

 **Mataras: Someone still mad that they lost?**

 **Gorun: You made me lose!**

 **Mataras: Of course I did! I could write myself as having mastered Ultra Instinct if I wanted to! You can't beat the author if you're in the story!**

 **Gorun: Yeah, well no one likes a sore winner.**

 **Mataras: Except the winner, who in fact, won. He likes him.**

 **Gorun: That's it! I'm getting Victoria!**

 **Mataras: Ha! Good one! She's not even-! ...Oh crap, he's serious. I uh... Bye, everyone!**

 **Pantherlily: ... I guess it's up to us now, seeing as they've both gone.**

 **Carla: Who is this Victoria person?**

 **Happy: She's the only person that can actually scare Mataras into submission!**

 **Carla: I've not heard of her.**

 **Happy: Aye! That's cos she appears in The Red Swordsman- Shattered Fragment! She's never been over here before!**

 **Pantherlily: I wonder what kind of person she must be, to terrify Mataras like that. I imagine that she'll be quite the terrifying figure.**

 **Carla: I suppose we'll have to wait until next time to find out.**

 **Happy: Aye sir! Next time- Golden Soul versus Stone Will!**

 **Mataras: OW! Not the ear!**

 **Gorun: Hehe, I hope next chapter comes soon.**

* * *

 **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**

"Do you wish to concede?" Jura asked as he inclined his head in acknowledgement of the compliment. "I have no wish to harm you any more than necessary."

"Hey, I said you were a good shot," Gorun smirked as he rubbed his backside painfully, trying to massage the aching pain away. "I'm better." He pointed upwards, to the area where he had been flying about before Jura had shot him down.

Naturally, everyone's gaze was drawn upward, whereupon a majority of the stadium's jaws dropped. Hovering there were hundreds and hundreds of small magic circles, each one buzzing with energy, and all of them pointed at the Wizard Saint. The man looked back at his opponent, whose aura flared brightly again as he reached upwards with open palms before shouting, " _Hellzone Grenade!_ " His fists clenched tightly, and the magic circles went ballistic, spamming Jura with highly explosive energy blasts with enough force to bring down a castle.


	7. Golden Soul versus Stone Will

**A/N: Thanks for returning to this story, which I am having an absolute ball writing, and double-thanks to the guys that have put up reviews! They play a major part in why I do this, and I have recently completed filming my responses to the reviews put up for chapters 4 through 6, so go check out my YouTube channel if you left one up!**

 **Now, back into the action, with Super Saiyan Gorun versus Wizard Saint Jura!**

 **OP Song: Let Me Try by Nathan Sharp**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 4_

 **Golden Soul vs. Stone Will**

"I must say, I wasn't expecting this," Jura admitted as he looked the transformed warrior up and down. "Here I thought you only practiced light magic."

"That what most people think?" Gorun chuckled in amusement. "My magic is so much more than that. Here- I'll show you." The next instant, he was nothing more than a blur of golden light, moving too fast for even Jura to keep track of him.

The Wizard Saint's eyes were wide in shock- the only other person he'd seen move that fast was Siegrain when he had put on a display of his Heavenly Body Magic some time before revealing himself to the world as Jellal. Even still, this boy had to be faster than the treasonous wizard saint had ever been, and for the first time in years, Jura felt the rush of adrenaline that comes from uncertainty.

Noticing that the golden light was headed right for him, Jura acted as quickly as he could. " _Iron Rock Wall!_ " he shouted, a solid barrier coming to stand between him and his opponent. _At this speed, there's no way he can avoid running into-_

His thoughts were cut off as Gorun sped around the wall without even slowing down and struck Jura solidly across the back, causing the older man to stumble from the force behind the blow. He grunted in surprise but recovered quickly as Gorun took to the sky, cross-crossing, weaving this way and that, almost as if daring Jura to try and hit him from where he was. The Wizard Saint was only too happy to oblige.

With another jab from his fingers, the stone bricks that made up the wall broke apart and scattered into the air, each one trying to take down the rapidly moving boy at the behest of their master. It took a moment, but Jura's keen eyes finally saw a pattern that allowed him to predict where he should send his next attack.

"There you are!" he muttered with fierce satisfaction as one of the bricks slammed into Gorun's back.

He had no way of knowing how lucky that shot was. Normally, Gorun could have shrugged it off like it were nothing, especially in his Super Saiyan form. However, the stone projectile had struck him where his tail lay hidden below his waist- his one great physical weakness. He cried out in agony as he was robbed of his energy and will to move, and he began to fall while his aura fizzled out, much to the horror of his guild mates.

Still, it wasn't anything he hadn't faced before. Forcing himself through blinding, mind-clouding pain, he managed to turn the last few meters of his fall into a controlled descent, where he rolled in the sand to come shakily to his feet. He winced in pain as he continued forcing his body to move, but it was getting easier as the seconds crawled by. "You're a pretty good shot," he panted as he faced Jura again. Despite the intense pain and near-blackout, he had managed to stay in his ascended state.

"Do you wish to concede?" Jura asked as he inclined his head in acknowledgement of the compliment. "I have no wish to harm you any more than necessary."

"Hey, I said you were a good shot," Gorun smirked as he rubbed his backside painfully, trying to massage the aching pain away. "I'm better." He pointed upwards, to the area where he had been flying about before Jura had shot him down.

Naturally, everyone's gaze was drawn upward, whereupon a majority of the stadium's jaws dropped. Hovering there were hundreds and hundreds of small magic circles, each one buzzing with energy, and all of them pointed at the Wizard Saint. The man looked back at his opponent, whose aura flared brightly again as he reached upwards with open palms before shouting, " _Hellzone Grenade!_ " His fists clenched tightly, and the magic circles went ballistic, spamming Jura with highly explosive energy blasts with enough force to bring down a castle.

" _Rock Tor!_ " Jura countered, summoning the massive body of an iron-hard stone samurai that shielded him from the destructive force. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves through the arena that threw all of the viewer's hair and clothing into disarray, even all the way back to the nosebleed sections.

"Think that can protect you?!" Gorun laughed wildly, his power surging to heights he had never visited before as he continued to push his new limits. "I'll turn that golem of yours into a rock garden! _Kienzan_!" He conjured the energy disk in the time it takes to blink and sent it whirling at the guardian that Jura had summoned.

The mighty stone ward, weakened by the vicious pounding the Hellzone Grenade had given it, finally met its match as Krillin's signature technique collided with its chest, slicing it clean in two, then crumbling into pieces. Jura's eyes widened again as one of his strongest defense spells was rendered useless. _Truly, to think that this boy held such potential…_ he mused, a genuine smile lighting up his face.

"Excellent work, young Gorun," he said respectfully. "It's been many a year since anyone has managed to make their way past my giant. I commend you for doing so well against me."

"You're talking like you're in control of the situation," Gorun said with a confident grin. "While I appreciate the compliment, I feel like I oughta tell you that you're not."

"Which would put you in command by proxy, I take it?" Jura laughed. "You are quite skilled, with a level of strength that I've rarely seen, even seeing how far Lyon has come in his training. However, you are dangerously close to believing that simply because you have not felt the sting of defeat in some time that you yourself cannot be beaten." He paused before his power level spiked considerably and he added, "In this world, there's always somebody above you."

"That doesn't mean…" Gorun grinned brighter, a fierce delight in his eyes as he put two fingers to his forehead. In the next instant, he had appeared behind Jura and kicked him in the small of his back, sending him sliding through the sand with an audible grunt as he finished, "…that I'm the one below you, Wizard Saint!"

" _Rumbling Crescendo!_ " Jura bellowed, his brow bent downward in concentration.

" _Big Bang Attack!_ "

* * *

The fight continued to shake the coliseum violently as the match went on, causing many of the viewers with children to leave early and view the match safely outside with lachryma-vision. Those that did stay were pelted with wind, dirt, and even pieces of stone from time to time. For the next twenty-odd minutes, Jura and Gorun unleashed a combination of blows both physical and magical that were too fast for the average eye to keep track of.

Even the S-class wizards in the stands, those with the natural-born reflexes that set them apart from the rank and file of other wizards in the country, found themselves at a loss as to what happened from time to time. Most of the competitors in Sabertooth feigned boredom, but you could bet that if you asked them later on, they'd be eager to recount every detail that they managed to keep track of. Quatro Kerberos howled about how 'wild' the fight was, Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus observed both sides curiously while Raven Tail's attention was fixated solely on the golden-haired fighter that had rarely been in the public spotlight until now. Both Fairy Tail teams seemed to have forgotten their animosity towards one another in favor of cheering on their comrade, urging to him to beat the pride of Lamia Scale.

Speaking of said guild, their silver-haired resident Ice-make Wizard was at a loss for words. While Sherry and the others shouted words of encouragement to their comrade, he found himself speechless at the display of power that Gorun was putting on. _Jura is the greatest wizard in all of Fiore!_ He thought with a slight panic. _Fairy Tail may have been able to keep up with us back in the day, but how can this boy, from out of virtually nowhere, go toe-to-toe with Jura?!_ He felt as though his guild master had spun his head around a few times- what his eyes were telling him simply didn't register with his brain.

 _Of course,_ he tried to rationalize, _Jura can't go all-out in this enclosed space without endangering the spectators. Yes, that must be it!_ Letting a small breath of relief, Lyon felt that he could relax a bit now. _Your friend may have a wealth of magic power, but I'm certain that Jura has a plan to remove him from the contest soon, Gray._

* * *

"I think it's about time we finish this, isn't it?" Jura announced, his formerly white clothing now dirt-and-sweat-stained. "We only have thirty minutes, after all."

"You're quite brave to call the end of your hopes closer," Gorun laughed, rising slowly into the air. "Let's see how long your courage holds up!" He spread his arms wide, his power level rising so high that the lachryma screens outside the stadium began to shake and fill with static. His aura tripled in its intensity, and those that were even remotely close to him flinched from the heat.

Jura, it has to be admitted, paled slightly and began to sweat as he sensed an enormous amount of magic being gathered in preparation to be cast directly at him. "What has he done…?" he gasped to himself.

* * *

Off to the side, Kinana was in a panic. "This is bad!" she shouted as soon as she saw him begin to rise into the air.

"Why?" Natsu laughed. "He looks like he's finally gunning to take down the old man!"

"And half of Crocus with him!" Kinana said, her eyes wide. "I keep telling you, that form reduces his ability to reason, and right now he's only focusing on defeating Jura!"

"You can't possibly think that he'll destroy the capital, do you?" Erza chuckled lightly. She had been greatly interested in the fight, since it was the first time she'd seen Super Saiyan in action.

This was when they began to feel the heat from his aura, and Fairy Tail's Titania paled to the color of snow. "He is going to destroy the capital," she concluded.

"But there are people living here!" Lucy cried.

* * *

" _Hraaaaaaaaaaaaah!_ " Gorun screamed, slamming his hands together so that his wrists met while his palms faced towards Jura, lightning jettisoning out from the mere friction of the energy that was gathering in response to his command. "Think you're brave enough to take this one?!" he demanded, all caution thrown to the wind.

Jura knew that there was no way he could conjure a defense spell to block the energy his opponent was about to unleash. His only hope was to beat him to the punch and knock him out before he used whatever spell he was gearing up for.

* * *

"Gorun!" Kinana screamed at her boyfriend, trying desperately to get his attention. "This match isn't worth destroying the city, come on!"

"I think we've gone past the bargaining stage here!" Gray said nervously, preparing to throw up an ice shield if this whole thing went south.

* * *

Gorun let the energy build to an almost unbearable level, then conjured the necessary magic circle in his mind. At the same instant, Jura finished his own preparations, slamming his palms together as he prepared to channel the direct energy of the tectonic plates far beneath the surface of the earth.

" _Final-!_ "

"Rumbling-!"

 _GONG!_ The bell sounded, just loud enough to be heard over the buildup of power taking place between the two insanely strong wizards. Much to the relief of everyone in the crowd, both combatants were able to cease using their magic immediately, and the air soon became free of magic energy, save for the residues of the spells already cast. Even Gorun's combat-fueled Saiyan mind knew that to strike now would mean forfeiting the match- maybe even getting his guild ejected from the event.

 _So it ends in a draw_ , he thought as he released his hold on his Super Saiyan form. As his hair settled down and his muscles returned to their more compact appearance, he thought that he should feel upset or angry at the fact that he hadn't managed to secure a win. Instead, all he felt was a fierce satisfaction that he had done his best on behalf of his guild- even if he had gotten a little carried away at the end.

It took an enormous amount of self-control and willpower to force his body to hold in the power he had been preparing to unleash in order to take down Jura. From what he could see, the Wizard Saint was also taking a moment to recompose himself, even as the younger man landed on his feet in the sand.

"That was…" he breathed, a huge grin on his face.

"A rush unlike any I have felt in years," Jura finished for him as he dusted himself off. "Truly, that was a spectacular battle."

"I agree," Gorun laughed. "Though I can't help but feel that things are a little unfinished, seeing as we've ended in a draw."

"I feel much the same," Jura said with a wry grin. "I have an idea, however, seeing as this is only the first day of the games."

"I'm listening," the ex-time patroller said eagerly.

"Since our teams get to elect which members partake in the first events of the day, I suggest that we settle things at one of these competitions," Jura told him.

"So if one of us sees the other volunteering, take the chance to jump in, yeah?" Gorun asked.

"Precisely. Whichever of us takes the higher score in the competition will be the winner and the score shall be settled," Jura nodded.

"I like it," Gorun agreed as he reached out a hand. "Thank you for a great battle, Wizard Saint."

"Likewise, young Fairy," Jura laughed as they shook hands, much to the surprise and interest of the crowd.

"Would you look at that?" they could hear Chapati saying from the commentator's box. "After all the hard feelings we've seen between _some_ guilds today, it's nice to see such a firm display of sportsmanship."

"I have to agree," Yajima added.

Hearing this, Gorun released Jura's hand and said, "I've been told that Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale have long been allies. I'd be glad to call upon a wizard such as yourself should the need arise."

"Likewise," the Iron Rock Wizard Saint said before they turned on their heels and walked away from one another.

* * *

"Good job out there!" Mirajane said excitedly as Gorun walked back among his teammates. "I never thought I'd see someone keeping Jura on his toes like that!"

"Normally I'd be mad, cos ya didn't win, but seeing as he's a Saint and all that, I guess I'll let it slide this time," Gajeel shrugged. "We did manage to get _some_ points out of it."

"That's his way of saying you did a fine job," said Juvia, surprising Gorun as she approached him. "I have to agree- not many could match the strength of that man."

"Er, thanks?" he answered, wondering when the trap was going to spring. "I, uh… appreciate that, Juvia."

"Besides, since you managed to score us some points, we're that much closer to making my darling Gray into the most handsome groom the world has ever seen!" she exclaimed, walking away as she began to hum a merry tune.

"There it is," he sighed. "I thought I told her off about that?"

"I think it'd be better coming from Gray," Mira grinned at him.

"That's what _I_ said," he groaned. "Why does _no one_ listen to me? I have good ideas!"

"Such as taking my place on this team," Jellal said quietly as he stepped out of the shadows. "Jura was much stronger than I expected him to be- had I faced him in combat, I know I would have not been able to beat him with someone else's magic."

"Not to mention if you accidentally used your Heavenly Body Magic, it'd be a dead giveaway to anyone who knew you from before," Gorun smirked. The smile faded slightly as he added, "Sense anything out of the ordinary yet?"

"No, but I'll keep looking," the masked man said gravely.

* * *

Final Score of the Grand Magic Games Day 1

 _Sabertooth: 20 pts._

 _Raven Tail: 18 pts._

 _Blue Pegasus: 14 pts._

 _Lamia Scale: 11 pts._

 _Fairy Tail Team B: 6 pts._

 _Mermaid Heel: 3 pts._

 _Quatro Kerberos: 2 pts._

 _Fairy Tail Team A: 0 pts._

* * *

"All right everyone, drink up!" Makarov shouted across the bar. "We've got a defeat to celebrate!"

" _Yeah!_ " most of his guild cheered before taking a drink of a stiff beverage.

Gorun narrowed his eyes slightly as he muttered, "Uh, hello? I didn't actually lose."

"Yeah, but you didn't win, either," Cana slurred as she grinned at him from where she was seated, surrounded by empty shot glasses. "So drink up, buttercup. We need to kick into high gear tomorrow…"

"You're not even on the team!" Gorun protested ineffectually. Turning to his girlfriend, he groaned in mock distress, "All my hard work, gone."

"I didn't realize you did this for the attention." she teased him lightly. "I thought this was about representing our guild well."

"It _is_ about representing our guild," he said as he dropped an arm around her shoulders. "And yours is the only attention I want- you know that."

Kinana reddened rapidly as she muttered, "Dork. You can be really sappy."

"A-yep," he chuckled.

He nodded a greeting to Lucy and Gray as they walked in, both of them wearing their casual attire. "Hey guys," he said as they came closer. "Feeling all right?"

"We'll be fine," Gray nodded. "I saw the tail end of your match with Jura, by the way. That was crazy."

"Yeah, well, probably not one of my finer moments," he winced as he remembered how close he had been to blowing away a good chunk of Crocus. Pushing the thought aside, he added, "Besides, I didn't even secure the win."

"At least you managed to score points at all," Lucy pointed out.

Seeing the pain on her face as she remembered her fight with Flare, Gorun frowned slightly and said, "That wasn't your fault. You had her in your sights, and they cheated you out of the win. Simple as that. Far as I'm concerned, you did the guild's name good today."

"Master said he's going to be having some of those of us that aren't competing keep a closer eye on them during any more matches we have with them," Kinana added in a lowered tone. "He was really mad about it."

"I can tell," Gray said dryly as he pointed at the elderly man, who was inebriated to the point of being incoherent. "The only time I see him drink that much is when flame-brain torches an entire city."

"I think you mean when you freeze it over, Ice Princess!" Natsu shouted, suddenly invading their circle.

"What'd you call me?" Gray snapped, the air around him lowering a few degrees.

Before either of them could get into it, Gorun's hair shot up and turned yellow while he fixed a fierce glare on them both with emerald orbs. "If you're gonna fight, take it outside," he said sternly. "We don't need to be footing the repair bill because you two got out of hand!"

"Wow," Mirajane commented to Erza as the two boys quickly backed away from the Saiyan teenager while babbling excuses. "And here I thought only you and Lucy could make those two freak out like that."

"I can startle Gray and Natsu, certainly," Erza said with the faintest hint of a grin. "But I don't think Lucy's wrath frightens our ice wizard as much as it does the Salamander."

"True," Mirajane giggled.

"Hey, Gorun!" Cana called with an exaggerated wave of her arms. "Come here!"

"Why…?" he asked slowly.

"Chance to bury the hatchet!" she grinned lazily. Raising a shot glass, she hiccupped and said, "If you can beat me at a drinking contest… I'll call it cool between us… _hiccup._ Sound good?"

Glancing quickly at Kinana, Gorun shook his head in the negative. "I'd rather we find some other way to do this," he answered. "I don't drink."

"Aw, no wonder you're no fun…" she pouted. Belligerently, she tried again, waving him over. "C'mon, blondie! You even have a head start!" She indicated the empty shot glasses and bottles around her with a sweep of her arm, knocking some of them to the floor.

"Yeah, I'm still inclined to say 'no', especially since I don't know what you get out of it if I lose," the young man said with a slight grimace.

"Scared?" Cana smirked.

"Of a drinking contest?" Gorun shrugged. "Honestly, not really. Of your intentions? Absolutely."

"I'm not gonna make you do anything bad…" she whined.

"I said no," he said firmly. "And I don't need a drinking match for there to be peace between us. I'm perfectly willing to let bygones be bygones."

"No!" Cana said stubbornly, pouting like a child. "I wanna beat you!"

"Why?" he asked curiously, cocking his head to one side.

"Cos you're givin' it all you got for our guild instead of me!" she shouted, drawing everyone's attention to them. "I've trained for years and years to become S-class, and you just get it handed to you on a silver platter! By my loser of an old man, too!"

Suddenly, Gorun had an insight to her bitterness. He knew that out of the younger generation of wizards, she had been there the longest, and had failed the most times to advance her position in the guild's ranks. It couldn't have been easy, especially given that as soon as she returned with the others to find him, someone they barely knew, as the next up-and-coming star of the guild, be that his intent or not. Finally, to add insult to those injuries, the father she had pursued silently for her entire life seemed to favor him over her with his promotion to S-class.

In that moment, he knew that he could not let things stand as they were between them. "All right," he said slowly as he stood up. "You wanna compete with me? I'll drink to it." He gave Kinana a quick look and squeezed her hand to reassure her before moving to sit across from Cana, who was grinning devilishly.

"So you do have some spine after all," she slurred.

"There is a catch," he said swiftly and sternly enough to make her pause. "If you're setting the stage, I'm setting the conditions of loss. If I lose, you can have my spot on Team B. I'd offer you my S-class rank, but I don't think that'd sit well with master."

"Oh…?" she grinned. "I like this so far. It's not a bad offer."

"However," he said as he grabbed the bottle from her hand faster than the eye can follow and filled a shot glass with the brown liquid inside, "if I win, you will cease this destructive habit of yours."

"Huh?" she blinked uncomprehendingly.

"You'll give up drinking," he said as he set the bottle down with an echoing _thud_ in the ensuing silence. Everyone in the guild was awestruck. Half of them thought that she would refuse to challenge him right then and there. The other half wondered how she was going to flip on him for even suggesting that she give up her vice.

Much to the shock of everyone present, however, she grabbed the bottle, poured herself a shot, the downed it swift as you please before sneering at the young man and saying, "You're on, flashlight. No one can outdrink me."

Gorun raised both of his eyebrows in surprise but snatched up the glass and held it in a toast to his opponent as he said, "May the best wizard win." Then he too downed the drink without flinching. He noticed Cana's eyes widen slightly as the heavy drink appeared to have no effect on him. He grinned slightly and said, "My family has a history of a high tolerance for alcohol."

"You said you don't drink," she said as she poured two more shots. "This takes practice."

"No it doesn't," he smirked as he raised the little glass in her direction again. "You've met your match, Cana. I suggest you savor this night- tomorrow's the last hangover you'll have as long as we're in the same guild."

"That's what you think!" she shot back, but those that were observing her more closely noticed that despite the flush of alcohol on her face, she was paling slightly. Evidently, she had thought that Gorun would be easy prey once he entered her arena of choice.

Off to the side, as the bottle was quickly depleted, Gray said in an undertone to Natsu, "You don't think Gorun can actually beat her, do you?"

"I dunno, but either way it's gonna be awesome, so shut up and let's watch," his comrade grinned excitedly.

* * *

They were ten or twelve bottles in when there was an unarguable winner. Gorun watched with detached interest as Cana's eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped backwards, passed out. While everyone that was still sober or awake gaped at him, he made a face at the little glass in his hand and muttered, "Never understood why people get addicted to this stuff. It tastes nasty."

"Y-You drank Cana under the table?!" Lucy cried, voicing everyone else's thoughts. "Literally, under the table!"

"Yeah, really not that hard," he shrugged as he reverted back to his base form, his black hair falling to frame his face once again. "Alcohol has almost no effect on my Super Saiyan form. My metabolism is accelerated along with the rest of my abilities, so I basically can't get drunk because of how fast my system processes the stuff."

"Isn't that cheating?" Gray asked.

"Hey, she could have used a charm to reinforce herself," Gorun shrugged nonchalantly as he stood up. "Neither one of us said that magic was against the rules."

"Does this mean you're actually gonna make her quit drinking?" Lucy asked worriedly. "She gets pretty cranky whenever she doesn't get her fill."

"Her fault for making a crap bet," Gorun shrugged again. "Besides, it's not like this is going to kill her- if anything, it might improve her lot in life. Maybe she'll have a better shot at making S-class if she spends less time boozing out and more time honing her magic."

"She's tougher than you give her credit for," Levy argued.

Gorun turned a slightly pained eye on the bluenette and said, "Don't get me wrong, she has loads of potential. Imagine how much better she could be if she made better use of her time."

"That may be true, but that's not your decision to make for her," Erza said sternly, and Gorun turned to meet her gaze evenly.

"I didn't make it for her," he said in a reasonable tone. "She knew there was a chance she could lose, and agreed to accept the risks that came with challenging me before we began. This is her own doing."

"You didn't have to set such a condition to her loss," Erza tried to argue, though she had to concede that he was right about Cana knowing the risks. Even drunk, she was more aware of things around her than most people would be- she knew full well what her losing could mean.

"You're right, I didn't," he smiled. "But when you see a comrade in need, do you leave them to their own devices? Or do you at least try to help them along?"

Erza's frown deepened slightly before she answered, "While I see that your intentions were noble, you went about it in a less-than-honorable way."

"You really wanna argue semantics with me over this?" Gorun sighed. "I won. She lost. Not to mention in front of witnesses. The terms of the bet apply. She has to honor that, or her word as one of this guild's members means nothing."

That was the crux of the matter. The two comrades had, in full view of both the public- there were still a couple of patrons in the bar, even at the late hour- and their own guild members, struck a deal. They had to honor the terms of that deal, or else their promises were worthless. Fairy Tail wizards, reckless and chaos-loving as they might be, took their promises very seriously.

"Good night everyone," Gorun said abruptly as he turned to walk out the door where Kinana was waiting. Some of them called a response, but the couple was quickly out the door. As soon as they were, the Saiyan boy frowned as he looked up at the mostly-full moon.

"Kinana, did I do the right thing?" he asked quietly.

"I think you did the best with what the situation you were handed," she answered honestly. "Maybe you crossed a line, but no one can say that you started it. Cana wanted a confrontation with you, and she wasn't going to stop until she got one. She won't be happy with you, that's for sure, especially since you beat her at her own game. But even she won't be able to argue with the fact that she lost outright."

"I hope so," he muttered. "I also hope I haven't just alienated myself from everyone else by forcing her to change her lifestyle so drastically."

"I doubt it," Kinana smiled before pressing her lips against his neck for a brief moment. "Families fight from time to time, after all."

* * *

"Your majesty, have you any requests for the lineup tomorrow? I can make whatever arrangements you desire." The speaker was a tall, dark-skinned man in shining silver armor. He was bent on one knee before a massive throne, where a diminutive figure with white hair, otherwise known as the King of Fiore, sat comfortably as he pondered the question.

"Hmm…" he mused with his deep, commanding voice. Many that had seen him wondered how one so small could produce such a powerful sound as he did. "I'd like to see that Bacchus fellow fight."

"Yes, my lord, any suggestions as to whom should be his opponent?" the knight inquired obediently.

"I'd love it if he could fight that Fairy girl, the pretty one with tremendous amounts of strength," the king replied eagerly. "What was her name, what do they call her…? Umm, Queen Anna? Something like that." The king seemed tired- _And no wonder_ , thought his servant.

The knight smiled to humor his master and replied, "Of course, my lord. I'll see that it happens."

"Thank you, Arcadios," the ruler said gratefully. "Be sure you get some rest yourself, understand? I don't need you collapsing on me one of these days."

"Yes, my lord."

* * *

The next day opened with a game called 'Chariots', which Gajeel partook in so that he could have a chance to compete against Natsu. Unfortunately for both of them, the event consisted of running a race on the backs of moving carts, which triggered their severe motion sickness. Apparently, fate was out to get the Fairy Tail guild that day, a fact that several of them remarked on as they watched the race through the lachryma screens hovering in the air above the arena.

Quatro Kerberos' reserve member, an S-class wizard by the name of Bacchus, took first place after demolishing half the line. Raven Tail's snake-like mage took second, followed by Mermaid Heel, then Lamia Scale, and Ichiya from Blue Pegasus taking fifth.

Which left Natsu, Gajeel, and surprisingly, one of the Sabertooth dragon slayers in a three-way scramble for last place. This prompted Gorun to mutter, "Okay, unless I'm mistaken, it looks like this motion sickness thing is exclusive to dragon slayers, right?"

"I've never seen Gajeel have this problem before," Juvia mused thoughtfully. "But if the Sabertooth wizard is also a dragon slayer with the same weakness, I suppose it's possible."

"There is one way to know…" Gorun said slowly as he turned to Laxus with a question in his eyes.

The lightning mage shifted uncomfortably before he muttered, "Don't tell Natsu. I'd never live it down."

"Ha! Knew it!" Gorun laughed.

"I wouldn't have admitted that if I were you," Juvia sighed as Laxus shot the Saiyan an annoyed look.

"Hey, hey, I'm not one to go tellin' secrets that aren't mine to give out," Gorun said in a placating tone. "I won't say anything to Natsu- or Gajeel."

"Thanks," Laxus acknowledged.

* * *

It was in the closing moments of the event when Gorun's interest was piqued. The Sabertooth mage, Sting, seemed to have given up the sixth-place slot that Natsu and Gajeel were straining to reach. Instead, he seemed to be asking them something that the Saiyan warrior found to be of the utmost interest.

"Can you explain something to me?" the blond dragon slayer groaned through a wave of nausea as the fire and iron dragon slayers continued to crawl away. "Why'd you even bother entering this tournament?"

 _What's he talking about?_ Gorun wondered. _Everyone and their cousin wants to win this thing._

"You're nothing like the Fairy Tail of my childhood," Sting grunted. "I wanna know what happened to the guild that did whatever the hell it wanted- whenever it wanted. You guys never cared what anyone thought of you, so why'd you become so obsessed with your image all of a sudden?"

This gave Gorun pause. This was a Fairy Tail he had never known, only heard about. The guild that he had come to had been good to him, sure, but it was all they could do to keep up their spirits daily. They couldn't afford to let their reputation slip any further, or else they faced disbanding altogether. _What was it like to be a part of the Fairy Tail that raised Natsu and the others?_ He wondered for the first time.

Up until now, the Saiyan had never thought of his guild existing any other way than it already did. Now, he realized that what he had been living in was apparently the shadow of the original guild- an empty shell left behind by the Tenrou Team. _How badly they must want to see their glory days returned_ , he thought sadly.

"The reason we're here… _is for our friends_!" Natsu shouted with all the meagre strength he had left. "The ones who waited for us… all the years we were gone!" He heaved himself forward, a few inches ahead of Gajeel as he groaned, "Who fought through the pain… and the heartache! They were humiliated!" He made a visible effort to control his stomach as he continued, both in the race and with his words, "But even so, they stayed strong! They kept our guild together! And we gotta win… for Gorun!"

The Saiyan gave a start of surprise at the mention of his name, even as everyone turned to look at him with the same look of shock on their faces.

Natsu pushed on, screaming, "He's never known the Fairy Tail that we remember- he never got the chance to see it! Even seeing us at our worst, he wanted to be one of us! So we're doing this for all of them! We want everyone to know that the Fairy Tail Guild never gave up, not for an instant! And there's _no way I'm gonna give up now_!"

Gorun felt a slight sting in his eyes as he grinned up at the lachryma screen bearing his friend's pained face. "Thanks, Natsu," he said quietly. Looking over to the box seats that held all the non-participants of his guild, the smile widened as he noticed that there was not one dry eye in the section.

* * *

Natsu scored sixth place, finally granting his team their first points since the games began. Gajeel came in seventh, which only got team B a single point, but strangely, none of them cared overmuch after Natsu's speech. Gorun supposed that the real crowd shocker was the fact that Sting dropped out, which meant that not only was it the first event that his guild hadn't completely dominated, it was the first time that they had received no points whatsoever.

He was destined to be surprised, though. Instead of hearing a cacophony of laments over Sting's loss, he heard a surprising number of people in the stands lending their praise to Natsu's heroic efforts in forcing himself through his weakness to finish as strong as he could. He even heard a few of the viewers mentioning that they might consider backing Fairy Tail in the upcoming events. _Way to turn things around, Natsu,_ Gorun smiled to himself. Despite his own arguably impressive match with Jura, his actions had not inspired any of the watchers to lend their favoritism towards his guild. _Then again, I suppose I didn't make a very good impression when I almost blew up half the city._

* * *

The first match was Raven Tail's 'Black Snake' versus Lamia Scale's Toby. The match went for a few minutes, with Gorun using his abilities to sense for any foul play from the ravens. He was half-hoping that they would try to use some underhanded trick so that he could blast them clear of the stadium, but either by fortune's favor or dismissal, the snake-eyed mage won the match fair and square, though Gorun did take note of the fact when Jellal mentioned that the man was using mimicry magic to copy Max's sand-make style exactly.

He more or less missed what happened after that, but the raven seemed to upset Toby a great deal when he tore up the sock that the dog-man had been wearing since Gorun had met him. Apparently, it meant something to him, and Black Snake had destroyed it just for kicks.

Gorun scowled and muttered, "Rotgut." The rest of the stadium seemed to agree, as many of the viewers were booing and jeering the strange man as he walked away from a sobbing Toby, laughing to himself.

"He didn't cheat though, so there's nothing we can do about it," Mirajane said, though her lovely face was marred by a frown.

The judges seemed eager to put the unpleasant incident behind them, so Toby was escorted off the field by the pumpkin mascot, who did his best to console the dog-man while the announcers brought up the lineup for the next combat round.

"This is certainly a matchup I didn't expect," Chapati said with some surprise. "It appears that Quatro Kerberos is going up against Fairy Tail Team A."

"Oh man, not good," Gorun winced. He glanced over at Gajeel, who was still nursing his stomach after the chariot race- unlike Natsu, who was still in the infirmary, trying not to heave his guts. If the fire wizard was called up now, Team A would have to either drag him out of bed, or forfeit the match to the 'wild' guild.

"First up, we have Bacchus, the 'wine god," Chapati announced, and Gorun relaxed a little.

"Okay, that's not so bad," he breathed.

"You do know he's one of their S-class wizards, right?" Mira asked him.

"Yeah, that's why I'm less worried now," Gorun grinned as he leaned over the railing while the lightly armored wizard walked out, holding a jug of some kind. "If the judges setting the lineup have any sense of how to give an audience a good fight, they'll send Erza at him. She'll kick his can and be done before we know it."

"I wouldn't count on that," Laxus frowned as Gorun glanced a question at him. "Erza's mentioned him a few times. They used to fight occasionally back in the day- according to her, there's never been a clear winner."

"Huh," Gorun muttered. "That's… slightly concerning. But I suppose worst case scenario, they end up in a draw, right?"

"I guess that could happen," Juvia agreed. "Erza is strong, but I can sense a power that rivals her coming from this Bacchus fellow." Gorun scanned the two wizards respectively and was surprised to find that they were speaking the truth.

"And from Fairy Tail Team A, we have…" Chapati paused to make sure he was reading the card right, then announced, "The lovely miss Kinana!"

Gorun froze in place, stock-still in the time it takes to blink. All the color had drained from his face, and he seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.

"What was that you were saying about the worst-case scenario?" Mira asked him nervously.

Gorun replied with a number of words that the other wizards were familiar with- and several that were new to them.

* * *

 **Closing Song: Bad Day by Daniel Powter**

 **Gorun: Okay... I feel like you were trying to go somewhere with that scene involving Cana, but you lost me... and several of our readers, I think.**

 **Mataras: It's easiest to get back to the surface of the water when you push off the bottom.**

 **Gorun: ...What?**

 **Victoria: Don't mind him. He's got a plan, is what he meant to say.**

 **Mataras: Yeah, that. Also, I'm running on... I don't know how little sleep.**

 **Gorun: Let's keep this brief, then. We hope everyone enjoyed the fight between me and Jura, and we look forward to seeing how you react to the next lineup!**

 **Victoria: Next time- Kinana Rises!**

* * *

 **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**

"Like hell it ain't," Bacchus laughed again. "Tell you what- I gots me an idea to make this tournament a little more interesting." The gong signaling that the match was to begin had gone off, but they both ignored it. Kinana shuddered as Bacchus licked his lips hungrily and said, "Let's make a little bet, just like those other guys, huh? If I win this competition, you'll keep me company tonight- where I can pay you all the compliments I want."

Kinana blanched and had to struggle not to be sick. She was only partially able to refrain from doing so because both of them were drawn to the sight of Gorun's Super Saiyan aura blazing from the stands as he roared, " _Touch her and you die!_ "

"Gorun, no!" Kinana begged him. She realized that since the match had begun, the sound lachrymas were active, and spoken words could be heard by the entire audience. "I can handle him!"

"Haha!" Bacchus laughed derisively. "I'd love to see you try, little missy!" Still, he made no hostile moves toward her- yet.

"Kill him!" Gorun demanded.

"Outside interference is not permitted in the games," Chapati reminded them, and Kinana thought for a moment that he was about get a Big Bang Attack to his face, but through an enormous show of self-control, Gorun switched back to his base form before a penalty could be called against him. Still, the purple-haired girl could practically feel his anger from where she stood.

 _I won't lose,_ she promised him silently. _Not to this guy._


	8. Kinana Rises

**A/N: Here it is, a fight that I know several of you have been looking forward to since the last chapter's end! How well will the kind-hearted fairy do against the S-class mage? Let's find out!**

 **Also, per the results of a poll I recently put up, I will be turning my old story Fire Sword into an audio series on my YouTube channel. Hope to see some of you there in the comment's section!**

 **OP Song: This Will Be The Day by Jeff Williams (feat. Casey Lee Williams)**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 5_

 **Kinana Rises**

"Arcadios, you dunderhead!" the king shouted angrily as he turned to his top colonel. "I wanted a match between Bacchus and Erza! This is going to be a slaughter! He's going to murder that poor girl!"

"M-My apologies, sire," Arcadios said, sweating lightly as he watched the two competitors take the field. "But to be fair, you did say you wanted 'Queen Anna'. I thought you had simply mispronounced the lady Kinana's name."

"I was trying to say 'Titania!" the king bellowed. "As in Titania Erza!" It was all that Arcadios could do to apologize again for his lapse while the king ranted angrily.

* * *

" _Have the judges lost their minds?!_ " Gorun shouted at no one in particular. It was taking Mirajane and Laxus both to restrain him from flying up to the judges' box and demanding that they recall the competitors. "Kinana's not a fighter, and she certainly isn't ready to fight somebody on Erza's level!"

"Gorun, there's nothing we can do!" Mira grunted as she strained to hold the boy in place. "She knew she might have to fight when she joined the team!"

"She's one of us, so she has to take the same risks as us!" Laxus growled. "Now stop acting like a child before I have to zap you!"

"Part of me wants to see you try," Gorun smiled wolfishly back at him. Nonetheless, he ceased his struggles against them and allowed himself to be seated by force. "The other part knows you're right about this," he sighed, fists clenched. Shooting a glare at her competitor, he added, "Contest or no, though- if he hurts her excessively like Flare did with Lucy, I _will_ get her out of harm's way."

"Fairy Tail girls are tougher than we look," Mira said consolingly. "She'll be okay, I'm sure of it."

* * *

"Well, I didn't expect this," Bacchus said lazily as he looked his opponent up and down. "I thought I'd be fightin' Erza, but I gotta say… you're just as fine as she is, hehe."

Kinana met his wandering eyes with a look of steel as her fists clenched. Times were past when she'd take comments like that lying down. Her relationship with Gorun meant a great deal to her, and it would be a cold day in hell before she let someone make light of it. "I'd be careful about what you say, mister," she said as she struggled to keep her voice neutral. "The guy that went up against Jura yesterday is my boyfriend- and he's the jealous type."

"That right?" Bacchus laughed. "Oh well- free world. I can say what I like, about who I like. And there is no denying how fine you look in that dress, little missy."

Kinana's face flared red, but she held her ground. The battle hadn't started yet, so no one could hear what they were saying- a good thing, because if Gorun had heard that last comment, he'd be going out of his way to vaporize the arrogant man in front of her. "That's not for you to say," she finally responded.

"Like hell it ain't," Bacchus laughed again. "Tell you what- I gots me an idea to make this tournament a little more interesting." The gong signaling that the match was to begin had gone off, but they both ignored it. Kinana shuddered as Bacchus licked his lips hungrily and said, "Let's make a little bet, just like those other guys, huh? If I win this competition, you'll keep me company tonight- where I can pay you all the compliments I want."

Kinana blanched and had to struggle not to be sick. She was only partially able to refrain from doing so because both of them were drawn to the sight of Gorun's Super Saiyan aura blazing from the stands as he roared, " _Touch her and you die!_ "

"Gorun, no!" Kinana begged him. She realized that since the match had begun, the sound lachrymas were active, and spoken words could be heard by the entire audience. "I can handle him!"

"Haha!" Bacchus laughed derisively. "I'd love to see you try, little missy!" Still, he made no hostile moves toward her- yet.

"Kill him!" Gorun demanded.

"Outside interference is not permitted in the games," Chapati reminded them, and Kinana thought for a moment that he was about get a Big Bang Attack to his face, but through an enormous show of self-control, Gorun switched back to his base form before a penalty could be called against him. Still, the purple-haired girl could practically feel his anger from where she stood.

 _I won't lose,_ she promised him silently. _Not to this guy._ She firmed up her chin and prepared to cast her magic. "People like you make me sick," she said as she settled into the fighting stance Gorun had trained her to use. "Honestly, I prefer to leave the fighting to my friends most of the time, but for you I'll make an exception."

"Hey, I'm not such a bad guy," Bacchus smirked as he settled in an eagle-like fighting stance. "You'll find you just how _nice_ I am tonight." Again, Kinana shuddered as he stared her up and down.

"You're gonna find out _right now_ that Fairy Tail girls are all out of your league, you sick bastard!" she shouted, a red circle forming over her head. " _Kaioken!_ "

"Kaio-wha-? _Augh!_ " Bacchus cried as he received a surprise kick to the face that sent him backpedaling a few feet. He shook his head as if to clear it, then barely dodged a punch to his midsection as Kinana flew at him, wreathed in a red aura. "What in the hell?!" he gaped. "I only ever saw Erza move that fast!"

"You picked a fight with the wrong girl!" his opponent shouted as she brought her hands back behind her left shoulder. " _Gallick Gun!_ " Pale purple energy shot at Bacchus as she outstretched her arms, who nimbly dodged it, working his way back to the jug he'd left in the sand. Still, he could feel the force behind the blast, and he was glad he had moved when he did.

Kinana didn't let up for second, pointing two fingers at him and shouting, "Dodon Ray!" A yellow laser flew out from her fingertips and struck Bacchus in the arm, though it only grazed him. Still, it was enough to make him wince, and she knew the attack was good.

"What's the matter?" she taunted him as she raised her hands above her head. "I thought you were supposed to the best Quatro Kerberos had to offer? _Masenko!_ " A stronger blast flew from her palms, narrowly missing the nimble fighter again.

"You ain't half bad!" he cackled. "I can feel my soul shakin' and stirring!"

"I think that's your body shaking, knowing that I'm about to blast you into the dirt!" Kinana called confidently, raising a hand to her eye level in a claw-like grip. "Anything left to say before I stomp you?"

"I can think of two words," Bacchus laughed as he held up his gourd containing an unknown liquid. " _Bottoms up_!" To the shock of almost everyone around them, he began to down the confection, throwing his head back and drinking rapidly.

"Wha-?" she said blankly.

"Kinana!" she head Erza shouting. "Don't let him finish that! He'll only get more dangerous if he's drunk!"

 _What?_ She thought, confused. She looked back at Bacchus, who had tossed the gourd over his shoulder, his face now flushed with the effect of the alcohol. "He has the same shtick as Cana?"

"C'mon, little girlie," he slurred with a wicked grin as he assumed a sloppy eagle stance. "Hit me with your best shot. Should be easy enough to knock down a wobbly old drunk like me, right?" Something about the change in his demeanor and body language only served to set the girl on edge. Still…

 _If he thinks I won't fight him because he's drunk, he's in for a world of disappointment,_ she thought determinedly. "Kikoho!" she shouted, sending forth the crushing energy blast at her call. To her shock, Bacchus ducked and weaved underneath the blast with inhuman speed before palming her in the gut with enough force to send her reeling and gasping for breath.

"Hahahaha!" Bacchus laughed with a hiccup as he stared at her through lidded eyes. "Feel that?"

The problem was, she _had_ felt the devastating power behind that strike- and she was quick to realize it wasn't the only hit he had landed. She counted at least seven bruises in various places, which disturbed her for more than one reason, the chief one being the realization that Bacchus had hit her so fast that she had only seen the last blow strike her.

Ignoring the pain the injuries caused her, she turned to fix a glare on her opponent again. "You're a real piece of work, Bacchus," she muttered.

"Hahaha!" the man cackled. "You ready to give up yet?"

"Weren't you listening to Natsu earlier?" she replied, composing new magic circles in her head. "The Fairy Tail guild hasn't given up yet- so there's no way I'm giving up either." Bacchus was crouching, preparing to use his blistering speed to get in close again, but Kinana had other ideas. Levitating up into the air so that she was in between the sun and her opponent, she placed her hands on either side of her head before shouting, " _Solar Flare_!"

There was a blinding flash of light that deprived anyone that looked directly at the girl of their ocular senses for several moments. Only Gorun, who had recognized the stance for what it was, managed to shield his eyes in time to avoid missing what was happening. Even the judges were shouting in confusion, unable to determine what had just happened.

"Kaioken times three!" Kinana shouted, her aura intensifying as she shot towards Bacchus, a large grin on her face.

"Times wha- _OW!_ " he yelped as she blindsided him, kicking his backbone, followed by a series of kidney shots that penetrated even his drunken stupor. "I can't see! This ain't right!"

"What isn't right is your attitude towards women," Kinana told him, ducking a right hook that the disoriented man attempted to throw. Blinded he might be, but his reflexes were still incredibly sharp, especially given how hammered he was. "Let's see if you can't learn a little respect!"

"Hey now!" he chuckled as he nearly caught her off-guard with another sloppy-yet-powerful strike. "I gots plenty of respect for fine women- none of y'all seem to appreciate it, though."

"I think I know a lost cause when I see it," the girl sighed as she flew above him again and blasted him with another Dodon Ray, this one striking him squarely in the back, just below his shoulder armor. "Time to wrap this up." So saying, she rose up into the air, and continued to do so until she was level with the heads of the massive statues lining the stadium.

It was at this point in time that people's eyesight were returning, and Bacchus was one of the first to recover. Looking up at her with something like disappointment, he shouted belligerently, "Hey! Tha's no fair! You can't fight me from way up there, an' I can't fight you!"

"Oh, I can do plenty from up here," she called back with a sweet smile.

* * *

It was this smile in particular that made Gorun turn to his comrades on the sidelines and say, "I suggest we all hang on to something."

"Wait, is she about to-"

"Yeah, I think so," he nodded with a huge grin as he interrupted Jellal. "And it's gonna be _awesome_."

* * *

"Mister Yajima, what's happening?" Chapati asked as they watched the girl's aura flaring up even brighter.

"That girl is giving off a magic pressure I certainly wouldn't expect from someone so young and delicate-looking," the old man said gravely. "She's looking to end this quickly, I wager."

"Second origin; _release_!" Kinana cried, willing her hidden reservoir of magic energy to open and flood her with new strength. With the fresh, previously untapped reserves surging through her body, she harnessed the Kaioken once again, conjuring five ruby-colored magic circles above her head, and a shining crystal blue one in front of her hands, which formed a triangle shape.

The last time she had used this spell, it had been at three layers of the kai's technique, and the effort had nearly wiped her. This time was going to draw on even more strength- she could feel her heart hammering against her ribcage violently- but this was the reason she had accessed her second origin. With the added strength it contained in addition to her already-above-average energy reserves, she was confident that she could take out Bacchus in one swift blow.

"Get down here an' fight me!" Bacchus demanded.

"I'll stay up here and fight you just fine," the girl replied. "Ready to lose, Bacchus?"

Expecting more loudmouthed comments, she was surprised when all he did was give her a befuddled look, hiccup, and ask, "You really care about that weirdo, don'tcha?"

Kinana did not answer with words, instead choosing to look over at the boy who had come to mean so much to her. He met her gaze from where he was and smiled at her, nodding once. She smiled back, her mind flashing back to one of her favorite memories with the young man…

* * *

Magnolia, Year X790

"Wait, really?" she asked in surprise. "I have magic?"

"Yep," her companion nodded as he stared intently at the water flowing around his calves. He was standing in one of the rivers that flowed through the forest by the guild hall, apparently searching for something, but as to what he was seeking, he had yet to comment on. "Admittedly, it's not a huge amount, but it's definitely present."

"I thought that people with magic manifested their abilities at a way younger age than me," she told him. "I mean, I guess it's possible I knew magic before I lost my memory, but…" She paused, uncertain on what else to say.

The boy glanced at her, then refocused back on his unnamed task. "Possible," he nodded. "I could teach you how to use my magic, if you'd like." He peered intently at the water, leaning closer to its running surface.

"R-Really?" she asked, surprised by his offer. He seemed to be a busy person these days, she thought. Ever since he had become a fully qualified wizard, he had gone on job after job, seemingly intent on repaying his debt to the guild and making a new life for himself in the town. "Won't you be too busy?" she finally inquired.

"Nah," he grinned as he placed his right hand just above the water's surface. "Truth be known, I feel like I've been neglecting you as a friend lately. I'd like to make it up to you." His hand shot into the water and returned in less than an instant with a large, wriggling blue fish. A moment's further notice from the boy saw its head crushed with his bare hand, rendering it limp.

Kinana eyed the dead animal with a wince, and Gorun had the grace to look embarrassed. "Uh, sorry about that," he grinned sheepishly. "I was getting kinda hungry, and fresh fish sounded good, so…" Now he trailed off uncertainly, but he was quick to come back to the original topic. "So anyway, would you like to learn some of my techniques? I'd like the thought of us teaming up someday on a job."

"Y-You want me t-to go on j-jobs with you?" she stammered bashfully.

"Well, yeah," he nodded emphatically. "You're the first friend I made in this place, and you're still my closest comrade. I wouldn't want anyone else watching my back out there in the future."

"Why me, though?" she asked in a small voice. "Even Romeo could be a better sidekick for you- he's got lots of natural talent, and I didn't even know that I had magic at all…"

"Hey," he said firmly, and she was slightly startled to notice that he was now only a foot away from her, his friendly gray eyes rather close to her own verdant ones. "I don't want a sidekick. No offense to the kid, but I'd much rather have you by my side. I want a partner- an equal."

"An e-equal?" she repeated hesitantly. "B-But you're so strong and experienced… I don't ever see myself becoming that strong like you are. It seems to be in your blood."

He had winced and turned away at that. Her comment seemed to touch a nerve, but he said over his shoulder, "Our blood does not define what we can do, Kinana. Sure, it can point us toward certain paths, but in the end, our choices are our own." Turning back to her, he grinned slightly as he displayed his green Fairy Tail emblem with confidence. "Starting strong or not, we all need to learn our limits if we want to surpass them." Lowering his hand to extend out to her, he added, "So what do you say? Wanna learn what you can do- then push past it?"

Kinana hesitated here. She was not a fighter by nature. She much preferred the relative quiet of her simple life, opposed to the dangers of being out on a wizard's job, where any number of disasters could befall her. It all seemed so… uncertain.

Yet, in spite of all her doubts, the face that owned the offered hand was confident, kind, and most importantly, her friend. She knew she could trust him. "I do," she nodded as she reached out to take his hand- only realizing the moment she grabbed it that it was the hand he had used to catch and kill the fish.

"Oops," the boy said dumbly.

They had spent the rest of the day laughing about it.

* * *

Crocus, Year X791

 _This is for you, Gorun…_ she thought silently. She fixed her gaze on Bacchus once more and said, "I care about Gorun beyond your ability to comprehend, just as I know he cares about me. Not that it's any of your business." She took a deep breath, poured her energy into the magic circle, and shouted from the depths of her heart, "Shin… _Kikoho!_ "

Just like that, the floor of the stadium shattered beneath the ferocious attack. The air was filled with sand, stones, and the sound of crashing thunder. Both fighters were hidden from view for several moments while some of the wind mages in the arena did their best to clear away the dust without interfering in the match- though judging from the lack of sound coming from the sandy pit, it seemed as though the fight might have already been over.

When the dust settled, a majority of the crowd went wild with shock, though most of it seemed to be laced with uplifting excitement. Kinana was kneeling by a gaping hole in the ground, one that went down for a couple of layers of what looked like some kind of labyrinth. She was heaving deep lungful's of air, and her clothing was partially torn up from the backlash of the powerful enhancement magic, but she was still conscious.

The same could not be said for Bacchus, who was on his back, eyes wide, mouth open in what appeared to be a silent scream as he lay twitching in the middle of the pit created by Kinana's blast. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and his armor had been all but demolished. Most important of all, he was unarguably, down and out.

The bell sounded, and the judges declared Kinana the winner, congratulating her on being the first Fairy Tail member to gain an outright victory in any of the competitions so far. Her guild mates all roared their approval as she gave them a tired smile, one which grew brighter when Gorun appeared next to her in order to help her to her feet.

"That was pretty incredible," he admitted as he smiled fondly at her. "I was wrong to worry, I see. I hope you'll forgive me?"

"Of course," she said, the smile staying on her face, despite her bone-numbing exhaustion. "Forgive me for a going a little overboard?"

His smile widened as he held her close, chuckling as he replied, "You wouldn't be Fairy Tail if you hadn't." His response brought another tired grin to her lips.

The combination of the two spells, even with her second origin aiding her, had pushed her to her limit. It was well that she hadn't pushed the Kaioken any further, she decided as she sagged, nearly hitting the ground in her drained state, despite Gorun's help. "Sorry," she gasped as he lifted her back up. "I'm just… really tired."

"Well that's no good," he smiled easily as he shifted his grip. The girl let out only a small gasp of surprise as she found herself being carried off the field in the bridal position. Her face went red as they heard the commentators- Jason and Chapati in particular- excitedly discuss the open display of affection between the two teenagers. Unless her ears deceived her, they could be expecting an interview from Sorcerer Weekly's top writer that would include questions about their developing relationship. It was hard to tell when everything seemed to be fading into darkness.

"Don't worry," Gorun whispered to her as he transferred some of his energy to her. "You're tired from pushing the Kikoho spell, so some proper rest is going to be in order. As far as I can tell, the Kaioken hasn't permanently harmed your body in any way, so that's a relief."

"Don't wanna interview…" she said in a small, fading voice, much like a child when protesting that they didn't need to sleep.

"If nothing else, I can tell that Jason guy there's more of a story to Gray and Juvia than us. He'll have his hands full just trying to get them to sit in a room together- forget interviewing us," he grinned, glad to see that she seemed to be relaxed, despite her fierce battle only minutes prior.

"That's not fair to Gray," she mumbled, though the thought of a reporter trying to ask the ice wizard about his 'relationship' with Juvia did hold enough humor to make her smile as she nuzzled her face against her boyfriend's chest. "Thank you, Gorun," she sighed before falling asleep in his arms.

Gorun gazed at the sleeping woman in his arms and couldn't suppress another huge smile. _I am the luckiest guy in the multiverse,_ he decided. _She's the sweetest, her cooking skills put Grandma Chichi's to shame, and she kicks butt against bad guys._

He found himself facing Lucy, Gray, and Erza as he made it to the exit tunnel. "Hey guys," he said as he paused inside the tunnel mouth.

"Hey' yourself, thanks for bringing her off," Erza said with a smile aimed at him. "She's a lucky girl."

"How do you feel about your girl racking up more points than you for her team?" Gray smirked at his friend.

Gorun's own smile widened in genuine happiness. "Pretty good, actually," he admitted. "More than anything, I was worried about her fighting someone who could hold his own against Erza, but it turns out she's a lot stronger than even I thought."

"That might've had something to do with the fact that she was fighting for you, now that I think about it," Lucy chimed in. "I mean, Natsu always gets way more fired up when he's got his friends close by. I imagine that effect is even stronger for her, given how close you two are."

"Heh, I guess so," Gorun nodded, looking down again at the beautiful wizard in his arms. "Mind accompanying me to the infirmary? I imagine it's gonna be a little while before they get the arena fixed up enough for the next match."

"Of course," Erza nodded quickly. "We'd be glad to- just remember not to neglect your own team, got it?"

"Yeah, Gajeel might have a fit if you keep helping our team out like this," Lucy teased him.

"More like Juvia will get mad that I don't bring her along to see her 'beloved Gray," Gorun snickered, causing Gray to nearly trip over.

"That's not funny, man!" he protested as he kicked off his pants.

"Gray, clothes."

"Dammit!"

* * *

They made it to the infirmary to see a scowling Porlyusica send Wendy, Carla, and Natsu on their way out to meet the rest of their team. "Oh, hey guys!" Wendy said in a chipper tone as she saw everyone gathered in the doorway. "I'm all good to join the team now!"

"Just as well, cos it's Kinana's time to step down," Gorun said as he stepped into the room so he could lay the girl on one of the cots. Turning swiftly to bow to the pink-haired woman, he added, "I do apologize for the extra patient, ma'am. I know you just finished taking care of-"

"Shut up and get away from the girl," the elderly woman snapped, rising from her stool. "The apologies of a human mean nothing, and I'm already planning to stay through the tournament- Makarov called in a favor."

Gorun bit back a retort, instead choosing to offer another small bow and say, "My apologies may be inconsequential, but I offer my thanks, regardless. Kinana is precious to me, so I am glad to leave her in your capable hands."

"Flattery won't help her heal any faster," the healer muttered as she looked the girl up and down.

"Come on, let's go watch the next match," Natsu said eagerly. "We saw the end of Kinana's fight, she was awesome! I'm all fired up again!" Gorun nodded once and leaned over his girlfriend's head to plant a kiss on her cheek before leaving her side with a light grin.

"Simmer it down, because I'm pretty sure our team is done for the day," Erza reprimanded the recovered fire mage.

"Wait, how did you guys see the match if you were in here?" Gorun inquired as they left the infirmary. "There's no lachryma-vision in the room."

"Well, actually…" Wendy began hesitantly.

* * *

"Raven Tail did _what_?!" Gorun bellowed, just barely managing to refrain from transforming on reflex shock and rage.

"They apparently hired four miscreants to kidnap Lucy, but they wound up targeting Wendy by accident," Carla scowled.

"These are blatant violations of the rules!" Gorun snarled. "The judges can't penalize us if we retaliate now, right?! I say we smash their faces into putty for all they've done!"

"Yeah!" Natsu agreed, flames igniting where his fist met his hand. "Time for them to pay!"

"Actually, I'm not so convinced that it was, in fact, Raven Tail," Carla objected.

"Are you _kidding me_?!" Gorun yelped. "You honestly think that Raven Tail _wasn't_ behind this? It wouldn't be the first time that they go after Lucy- or Wendy. Or you!"

"Exactly, which would serve the purpose of concealing the movements of another force at work here," the white cat chided him. "We know that they have a wizard in their team that can instantly drain a person's magic power- the first example of this was when Wendy and I were attacked. Master Makarov also believes the same man to be responsible for causing Lucy to lose during her fight against Flare."

"…Okay, what's your point?" Gorun asked, trying to keep his anger in check.

"The method they used raises a red flag," Carla said obstinately. "If they have a wizard like that, why bother to hire some second-rate thugs for the job?"

"Maybe they thought it'd be too risky, having one of their people directly involved this time," Gray suggested.

"The judges _do_ prefer to have us all close at hand since the matchups aren't announced very far in advance," Erza mused out loud. "Still, this seems like exactly what we can expect of them."

" _One_ more dirty trick…" the saiyan hybrid seethed. "One _hint_ of a dirty trick, and I'm blowing up Raven Tail's box."

"No arguments from this end," Gray agreed coldly. "I've been wanting a rematch with that cactus-faced freak since yesterday."

"In the meantime, why don't we go and watch the next match?" Lucy suggested. "It's Mirajane's turn, right?"

"Yes, she's up against Jenny from Blue Pegasus," Erza nodded.

Gorun stopped where he was while the others went ahead, paling slightly. _Oh right…_ he thought. _That's happening._

"Hey Gorun, you all right?" Gray asked as he noticed his friend lagging behind.

"Huh?" the boy asked. "Oh, yeah. I'm actually not feeling this match, so… Yeah, bye." With that, he turned around and started walking back the way they had come.

Everyone watched him leaving, confused. "What was that all about?" Natsu wondered out loud.

"No idea, he's been very supportive of both our teams so far," Lucy said with a frown. "Then again, Kinana is in the infirmary, so maybe he's gone back to check on her."

"I imagine Miss Porlyusica would send him away again so she can work, and he knows that," Carla added thoughtfully. "So why is he heading away from us- and the match?"

To their surprise, his voice floated from behind them as he shouted, "Not a fan of Sorcerer Weekly!"

"…What?" the group asked collectively.

* * *

"Oh," Lucy said dumbly as she watched the scene unfold. "Now I see why Gorun went for a hasty retreat." Instead of going the combat route like everyone else, apparently both Mirajane and Jenny had agreed to do a beauty contest to determine the winner. Since both were former Sorcerer Weekly models, it was a no-brainer that the judges were going to push the limits of what could be considered socially acceptable public attire.

"He's totally whipped," Natsu snickered.

"Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever seen him look at any girl besides Kinana in 'that' way," Gray muttered. "Even when I went with them on one of their dates, he was pretty reserved in how he treated her."

"It's called having manners," Lucy snorted. "Believe it or not, most girls find that attractive."

"I have manners!" Gray protested.

"Yeah, bad ones," Lucy shot back.

"Natsu, back me up!" Gray demanded of his comrade.

"I would, but when you're just in your underwear, it makes it pretty hard to argue your case," the pinkette replied dryly.

"Dammit!"

* * *

Gorun appeared back in his team's box shortly after the match was over to congratulate Mirajane on her win against the other model. "Heard you decided to finish things up the proper way," he smirked as they started walking back up to their box seats.

"How?" Gajeel asked with a frown. "You weren't here to see, and you literally teleported up here as soon as it was over!"

"I can sense energy levels a lot better than you can, remember?" the boy grinned at his comrade. "Also, I have really good hearing. I could hear the judges' announcements in the infirmary."

"Wait, so how come you didn't come up for the wedding part?" Mirajane asked. "Both the boys and girls did it, and it seemed like most of us had fun with it."

"Why would I come up for that when Kinana was- you know what, never mind," Gorun said quickly, his face doing an excellent impression of a ripe tomato.

"Do I hear wedding bells…?" Mirajane teased him.

"Shaddup!"

"I'm certain that the bells you're hearing are for my darling Gray, who was so quick to sweep me off my feet as soon as he saw my wedding dress!" Juvia said dreamily.

Gorun saw an opportunity to burst her bubble and couldn't resist it. "Wait, you do know you're gonna have to get another dress now, right?" he told her, feigning concern.

"Why on earth would I do that?" the rain woman asked, looking askance at him. "I already had it custom-made for our union, why would I change it?"

"Wait, you just _had_ that getup on you?!" Gajeel asked, eyes wide. "Where?!"

The others ignored him, although truth be known, Gorun was just as curious as he was about that- it just wasn't important at the moment. "I mean, isn't it bad luck for the groom to see the bride's wedding dress before the wedding? You don't want bad luck, do you?"

"Oh no!" Juvia exclaimed, paling rapidly, as if that were possible. "Now my perfect dress is ruined! What'll I do?!"

"Don't worry, I have a solution," Gorun grinned quickly as they reached their seats. "It's pretty simple, actually."

"Tell me what I can do to fix this disaster, please!" Juvia practically begged him, shaking him by the collar. "I need to know how to make this right!"

"Anyone else get the feeling that the rain chick's walking into a trap?" Laxus muttered to the others.

"You ain't the only one," Gajeel nodded. "Kid looks funky, but he's sharper than most of the chumps in our guild."

Gorun did not fail to deliver. "The solution is quite simple, see…" he began. " _Get married to a guy that gives a damn about you!_ For crying out loud, there's even an ice-make wizard that would have you if you'd drop the whole 'Gray' thing for two minutes!"

"Never!" Juvia said hotly. "You're just jealous of our love!"

" _Jealous?!_ " Gorun sputtered, half-laughing, half-shouting. "What do I have to be jealous of?! In case you hadn't noticed, I have a relationship going on that goes both ways, which is more than I can say for you!"

"He really isn't going to drop this, is he?" Mira wondered aloud.

"Doubtful," Jellal said in a quiet voice as they watched the argument escalate again. "He's quite tenacious."

"So is Juvia," Gajeel sighed heavily.

"Just because he is shy about displaying his affections does _not_ mean-"

"Gray has no affections for you! Zero!"

"Spoken like a man whose been scorned!"

"Where do you even get that?!" the saiyan boy all but shouted.

"I have my ways," Juvia sniffed enigmatically.

"For the love of Shenron!" Gorun seethed. "You may be made of water, but you're thicker than Natsu! Any 'affection' that Gray has shown you is no more or less than he's shown anyone else in the guild! He doesn't care about you more than any other member of Fairy Tail!"

Juvia blinked rapidly a few times, then said, "But I'm not interested in polygamy!"

Gorun's left eye twitched once. "That's _it_ , I can't take anymore of this!" he screamed, his energy instantly going to its maximum level in his base form. "Double-!"

"Enough, Gorun!" Jellal said sharply. When the others turned to look at him in surprise, he shifted uncomfortably before saying, "Your zeal to protect your friends is admirable, but you cannot fight all of their battles for them. Clearly this is something that needs to be done between Gray and Juvia, not you. Now please restrain yourself, or else I might have to cast Mystogan's sleep spell on you."

"Just trying to help…" Gorun muttered as he slumped in his seat.

"By zapping her with a miniature etherion blast?" Gajeel asked as he sat beside his teammate.

"…Fair point, that would have been harsh," Gorun sighed.

Off to the side, Mira said aside to Laxus, "My goodness, I didn't know Gorun could get so worked up. Not to mention that takeover transformation of his seems to really bring out an aggressive side."

"It's not all that unlike your takeover soul," Laxus shrugged. "Your entire personality changes when you transform now, though you used to just act like a little devil all the time."

"Is the kettle calling the pot black?" Mira grinned mischievously. "I never got kicked out of the guild for bad behavior."

"Urk!" Laxus flinched. "Okay, I get it," he muttered a trifle sourly. "I was just making conversation, sheesh. No need to get all personal."

"You brought it up first," the white-haired wizard replied, still smiling cheerily.

"I was just drawing parallels!" the lightning mage protested.

* * *

The match between Kagura of Mermaid Heel and Yukino of Sabertooth started soon after. Gorun quickly noted that Kagura's power level was close to Erza's, while Yukino seemed to be a Celestial Wizard whose own abilities outclassed Lucy, even if just by a shade.

"So who's got the advantage?" Gajeel asked Gorun as he leaned forward in his seat with his chin resting in his fists.

"Definitely the Mermaid Heel wizard," Gorun answered, surprising the others. They had all expected him to say that the Sabertooth girl was going to win the competition as easily as her other comrade the day before. Seeing the looks on their faces, he explained, "It's not just the difference in power levels- which is no small gap- but more in the way that they're carrying themselves. Look at them both, tell me what you see."

The others did so, except for Juvia, who was drooling over Gray as he sat in his own team's stands, shirtless. Interestingly enough to Gorun, it was Gajeel who spoke up first, without hesitation or doubt. "The chick with the sword is way more prepared than her opponent," he said. "She's completely on edge, ready for anything this other kid can throw at her. Snow White there is too relaxed for how strong her opponent is- she's overconfident."

"Yup," Gorun nodded in agreement. "Both are skilled, no doubt about that. However, Kagura is simply in another league altogether. I don't see this match lasting more than five minutes or so."

* * *

Gorun was right- the match lasted roughly four and a half minutes, but there were certain things that even he did not see coming. First off, the competitors bet their lives against each other in the battle, drawing many disapproving reactions from the audience. However, since the rules clearly stated that the wizards participating were responsible for their own lives during any and all the activities, the judges were powerless to stop the fight.

Kagura turned out to use gravity magic to aid her fighting style that utilized a sheathed sword- Gorun had thought that perhaps she would be a requip wizard like Erza. Yukino was a Celestial Wizard like Lucy- and in possession of the remaining golden zodiac keys to boot. Not only that, but she also maintained control of a thirteenth zodiac called 'Ophiuchus', and its power rivaled that of Leo's from what Gorun could glean.

Still, despite her impressive entourage of spirits, Yukino fell to Kagura's sheathed blade. In a show of mercy- or perhaps in a way to humiliate her opponent for being so arrogant, the sword maiden let the white-haired wizard live, and walked off the field, leaving her in the dirt, shaking and crying- broken.

* * *

Final Score of the Grand Magic Games Day 2

 _Raven Tail: 36 pts._

 _Sabertooth: 20 pts._

 _Mermaid Heel: 19 pts._

 _Blue Pegasus: 17 pts._

 _Fairy Tail Team B: 17 pts._

 _Lamia Scale: 15 pts._

 _Quatro Kerberos: 12 pts._

 _Fairy Tail Team A: 12 pts._

"Now here's a night I can celebrate!" Gorun laughed as he slammed a mug of cider- alcohol-free of course- against Natsu and Gray's own drinks. Turning to the others in the bar, he shouted, "Whose proud to be Fairy Tail, now and always?!"

" _We are!_ " the others cheered back, raising their own glasses and drinking deeply.

"Haha!" Natsu laughed as the three of them grinned at one another, remembering the day's events. "Man, I thought those chariots were gonna be the end of me!"

"You pulled through though, and made us all proud," Gorun said as he clapped his friend on the shoulder. "You inspired me, too. The Fairy Tail that you talked about- I wanna see it. Not just for me, but for everyone else that waited for you guys the whole time."

"Thanks to your girlfriend, we just might see that happen," Gray smirked. "She kicked butt out there today. Taking down someone that can match Erza- Natsu and I'd better watch out around her!"

"Hah, with my second origin, I could take on Erza in my sleep!" Natsu boasted.

"Hello gentlemen, having a good evening?" a familiar voice asked.

"Gah!" Natsu yelped as the redhead requip wizard approached their table. "I didn't say it, Gray made me!"

"I didn't do nothing!" Gray snapped, throwing off his shirt. Before either of the S-class wizards could say anything to either of them, they were on the floor, trading fists and smacking one another's heads into the floorboards at every opportunity.

The saiyan and the girl looked at each other before shrugging simultaneously. "I suppose we can let it slide for now," Erza said as she took Natsu's seat.

"So long as we don't end up with frostbite or set the bar on fire," Gorun agreed. He paused, seemingly frozen in thought. "Okay, never mind. This is Natsu and Gray we're talking about." Reaching over, he grabbed Natsu by the scruff of the neck, vanishing the second after along with both of the rambunctious wizards. Then he reappeared, dusting off his hands as he asked, "How are you doing, Erza?"

"Quite well, thanks," she smiled, though the expression was a little strained. "I met up with Mystogan about an hour ago to see how he was doing. As luck would have it, I ran into another old friend of mine shortly afterward."

"Oh yeah?"

"Name's Millianna, and she's actually with Mermaid Heel in the games," Erza nodded. "She's doing very well, which makes me glad."

"Then why the long face?" Gorun inquired. "Worried you'll have to compete against her in the games?"

"No, that's not it," Erza said with a shake of her head in the negative, followed by another wry smile. "Don't worry about it. There's nothing you can do."

"If you say so," Gorun replied with a lowered brow as he finished his drink.

Seeking to change the subject, Erza asked, "How is Kinana? I haven't seen her since this afternoon."

"She's resting with Wendy and Carla looking after her in the Honey Bone Inn," he replied as he glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the hotel. "Miss Porlyusica said that she just needs proper rest and some medicinal teas that she gave to Wendy. She should be up and about by tomorrow."

"I'm glad to hear it," Erza said with a warm smile, this time genuine.

"On an unrelated note, have you seen Cana anywhere?" Gorun asked with a tinge of concern as he shifted uncomfortably on his seat. "I uh… didn't see her in the stands today."

"No, and I'm a bit concerned about it as well," Erza frowned. "She seems to be taking her loss to you pretty hard."

"Well, maybe I did go a little overboard," the saiyan boy admitted.

"It's a Fairy Tail specialty," Erza said with a light chuckle. "I'll go to her room, see if she's there. I'll let you know with Warren's telepathy if anything comes up."

"Thanks," Gorun said appreciatively. "I just want to make sure she's gonna be okay."

"You could come with me," Erza offered, but he immediately shook his head in the negative.

"No," he said, "I'll see her when I'm sure that the first thing she won't do is zap me with a magic card."

"Fair enough," Erza laughed as she stood to leave. "Good night, Gorun."

"Wait, Erza!" Gorun said before she could get away. When the woman turned back to face him, he added, "I, uh… I know I was pretty harsh with her. Could you tell her that I'm sorry I embarrassed her?"

"You're really worried that Gildarts is going to find out about all this, aren't you?" she teased him with a grin.

"Terrified," Gorun admitted. Then he slumped his shoulders and added, "And… I realize that I have a habit of projecting myself onto other people sometimes. Just because I'm stronger doesn't mean I'm right, you know? I love this guild, and I want to get along with the people in it, Cana included."

A soft smile touched Erza's lips as she nodded approvingly at him. "I'll pass on your message," she said as she turned away. "Whether or not she'll accept your apology may be a different matter."

"Thanks anyway," the saiyan boy said ruefully as she walked away.

* * *

He was on his way to say goodnight to Kinana when he bumped into a white-haired girl that looked vaguely familiar. "Sorry, miss," he said with an apologetic grin, before stopping in place as they made eye contact. There was a moment of non-recognition since both of them were in casual clothing, but Gorun quickly realized who she was. "Wait a sec, you're the girl from Sabertooth, yeah?" he asked. "Yukine, right?"

"Yukino," she corrected him, nodding once. Her voice was very soft, even softer than Kinana's. If he didn't have Saiyan ears, Gorun imagined that he would have to struggle to hear her speak. "You're with Fairy Tail, yes?"

"That's right," he grinned. "I could start an argument about which guild is better, but I don't think that's why you're here. Not unless you have those dragon slayers with you somewhere?" He'd heard about the obnoxious wizards from Sabertooth from Happy and Natsu both. He quickly scanned the area for high power levels, but only Yukino stood out to him.

Her next words confirmed it. "No, I'm here on my own," she told him. Gesturing to suitcase she was holding by the handle, she added, "I was going to find a place for the night, but first I needed to see your Celestial Wizard."

"Lucy?" Gorun asked, cocking his head. "Why d'ya wanna see her?"

"It's a matter for Celestial Wizardry," Yukino answered politely. "Please, could you take me to her? I'm having trouble finding her whereabouts."

"Sure thing," he nodded as he spoke. "I doubt you'll try anything funny, and I was heading there anyway to say goodnight to my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend…" Yukino repeated. "The girl that defeated Bacchus?"

"That's right," Gorun said proudly. "Don't get too close to me, or she might Kikoho you, too."

"Oh no, I wasn't-!"

"Kidding," Gorun laughed, gesturing for her to follow him. "C'mon, we're not too far from them." As an afterthought, he asked, "By the way, why do you need a place to stay tonight? Won't you be staying with your guild?"

"No, I'm… heading out of town tomorrow, as I said before," she replied as she trudged along behind him. There was just the slightest quaver in her voice, one small break in her normal speech pattern, but Gorun noticed. He didn't comment on it, though. _I'll probably just stick my foot in my mouth again if I ask what's going on_ , he decided as he led the way back to the inn.

* * *

 **Gorun: You really hate Bacchus, don't you?**

 **Mataras: With an undying passion. I honestly think he got off way too lightly with how he treated Cana and the Strauss sisters in the original canon. So, here I decided to have him utterly crushed.**

 **Victoria: Don't you think you kind of nerfed him a little bit?**

 **Mataras: Honestly, no. He may be S-class, but he lost to Elfman, and later on, Ichiya, neither of which are very high up on the strength scale in comparison to some of the other characters in the story. Not that they aren't strong, but let's not forget that Quatro Kerberos placed last in the Games, which speaks pretty lowly of their abilities as a guild.**

 **Victoria: Sorry, but didn't he hold his own against _Erza_ multiple times?**

 **Mataras: In the past, sure. But now? She'd honestly squash him.**

 **Gorun: So how strong is Kinana, exactly?**

 **Mataras: I'd put her power level on par with Tienshinhan's when he went up against Semi-Perfect Cell. While she is by no means the strongest person on the team, you shouldn't mess with her, either.**

 **Gorun: No kidding.**

 **Victoria: So how's the meeting with Yukino gonna pan out? Same as in the original story?**

 **Mataras: Why do you keep trying to get me to spill stuff in advance? You know I'm not gonna talk.**

 **Victoria: Meh, worth a shot anyway.**

 **Mataras: No, it's really not.**

 **Gorun: Break it up, you guys!**

 **Victoria: Fine... Next month- Primal Fury!**

* * *

 ** _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._**

"Master, I'll handle them," Sting volunteered, about to step forward, but he was stopped by Jiema's massive hand and forearm.

"You'll stay put," Jiema growled. These two fairies were annoying, he thought. However, he could admit that their resolve was… intriguing. Perhaps he could learn something from these strange wizards that had defeated so many of his foot soldiers and one of his elites without so much as a single scratch being put on them.

" _Hraaaah!_ " Natsu screamed out his fury and launched a full-scaled magical assault on Jiema, at first without much success. Every single one of his blows seemed to be met by some kind of force field that made the air shimmer like the ripples a stone causes when thrown into a still pond. Jiema simply kept one fist in front of his body, content to let Natsu wear himself out.

"You have spirit, boy," he mused aloud, as if talking about nothing more interesting than the passing weather. "Unlike those in my guild… It's interesting." He let Natsu get in another couple of punches before moving to make a counterstrike. "However, spirit is not enough!" He moved to crush the little pink-haired wizard so that he could get back to his night of leisure.

That changed when one of his blows got inside of Jiema's defenses and caused the man to double over as Natsu's flaming fist slammed into his gut. Then it was a slugfest as Natsu rained blow after blow on Jiema, all of them connecting with his body with such intensity that lesser men would have been killed fifty times over.

"Ready, Gorun?!" Natsu snarled.

"Waiting on you!" the golden-haired wizard shouted, having been almost forgotten by the Sabertooth guild master.

"Hmm?" He muttered as he looked over at the other intruder, before his eyes widened slightly.

" _Magic Fusion!_ " they cried in unison.


	9. Primal Fury

**A/N: This chapter has been one of my favorites to write so far, partially because we get another major change to the original canon, and some of the character development between Cana and Gorun that several of you have been waiting on. Also, a unison raid that I've been excited for since the beginning of this story. Anyways, read, review, enjoy!**

 **OP Song: His World by Zebrahead (fast version)**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 6_

 **Primal Fury**

"I hope we aren't going to wake them up," Yukino said as she followed Gorun to the Honey Bone Inn. "It is rather late."

"Nah, I know for a fact that they were just at a bar not fifteen minutes ago," Gorun said easily. "They might be winding down, but they're hardly asleep."

"If you say so," the girl replied softly. He glanced over his shoulder at her, noticing her slumped shoulders and the way that she kept looking down at the street while they walked. He considered asking about what was bothering her, then decided against it again. If there was a problem, he was certain that her guildmates could help her sort it out. She probably wouldn't want to hear the opinion of a wizard from a rival guild.

Not to mention that it seemed like every time he tried to help one of his comrades, he just bungled things up in one way or another. No, he should just mind his own business and let things sort themselves.

"Here we are," he said as they arrived at the inn. "They're up on the second floor- er, wait a sec. Dammit!"

"What is it?' she asked him dully.

"Wendy and Carla were supposed to be watching Kinana!" he muttered, frustrated. "But she's the only one I sense up there! Where are the others?!" He looked around, eyes narrowing as he concentrated on trying to lock down their power signatures. "I know I dropped Natsu off around here somewhere…"

"Yeah, onto a boat, ya jerk!" a familiar voice growled as five figures came walking up a street behind them.

"Sorry about leaving Kinana alone," Wendy said sheepishly. "But Carla and I had to go rescue him when I heard him screaming a few blocks away."

Gorun's annoyed gaze switched to Happy, who froze in place as the Saiyan asked, "So why didn't you help your partner?"

"You made him disappear, I didn't know where to!" the little blue exceed said nervously. "Lucy was helping me look for him when we ran into Wendy and Carla!"

"What?!" Lucy shouted, indignant. "That's not what happened! You were busy stuffing your face back at the bar, and I had to drag you along to help me look for him!"

"I knew it!" Natsu cried. The three friends started arguing loudly while Carla and Wendy just looked on with despondence.

"Erm…?" Yukino peered around Gorun's shoulder cautiously. "Should I come back in the morning?"

"Oh my gosh!" Happy shouted, pointing at the timid Celestial Wizard. "Gorun has another girlfriend! What a scandal! Kinana's gonna be so mad!"

" _WHAT?!_ " everyone shouted in unison as they turned to look at Gorun and Yukino, the latter of which was blushing crazily. The Saiyan warrior, however, was thoroughly unamused. _Blam!_ In the blink of an eye, Happy was flying higher than his wings could have taken him.

Gorun lowered his foot slowly from the position it had taken after sending Happy to meet the stars while he said in a deceptively calm voice, "Anyone else?"

"Nah, we're good," Natsu said nervously as he eyed his friend.

"Excellent," he said through a fake smile. "Now everyone, this is Yukino. She said she has some business with Lucy."

"Huh?" the blond wizard blinked, surprised. "Why me?"

"Please, do you mind if we discuss this inside?" Yukino requested timidly.

"Uh, sure," Lucy answered, looking hesitantly at Gorun, her eyes asking a silent question.

He nodded once in the affirmative, saying, "She wants to talk about something for Celestial Wizards only, or something like that. She isn't here to make trouble."

"Gorun is vouching for her, that's good enough for me," Wendy said as they began walking up the stairs that led to the entrance.

* * *

While Lucy and Yukino talked over the coffee table in the room, Gorun encouraged the others to give them privacy. Having noticed that Kinana was still fast asleep, and not wanting to disturb her rest, the Saiyan boy decided to wait with Wendy, Carla, and Natsu out on the balcony.

"So Gorun," Wendy asked after he had shut the door behind them, "Will you be entering the opening competition tomorrow?"

"Dunno yet, maybe," he answered easily. "I could do with a little action since I didn't compete yesterday." He glanced up at the night sky, noting that the moon was nearly full. If he remembered correctly, it would be completely filled by the evening of seventh of the month, four days from then.

"Whaddya think they'll be throwing at us this time?" Natsu wondered out loud with a devilish grin.

Gorun pondered the question for a small moment before he answered that. "So far the events have been designed to test different skill sets," he mused. "The first day needed a wizard with good reflexes and patience. The second day was a pretty simple contest of speed- unless you're a dragon slayer, I guess."

"Hey!" Natsu barked, apparently still mad about the fact that the race track had triggered his one weakness.

"Just saying," Gorun shrugged apologetically. "In any case, they won't want the crowds to get bored with repeats, right? So I figure this next contest will test something else entirely."

"Perhaps a test of strength?" Carla suggested.

"Yeah, maybe they could have some kind of lifting contest," Natsu grinned. Turning to Wendy, he added, "You should try that!"

"Me?!" she yelped.

"Yeah!" he nodded enthusiastically. "You can make stuff way lighter with your wind magic, and yourself stronger, too!"

"Th-That doesn't mean I'm the strongest person on the team!" the little girl said, panicking. "Erza's still way stronger than I am, even with the new spells I've learned!"

"Relax, Wendy, I'm sure Erza won't let you down if it comes down to that," Gorun chuckled lightly. "Besides, we don't know for certain if this is going to happen. All of this is conjecture on our part." He was about to say more, but just then a familiar blue cat landed on the balcony rail, looking exhausted and shook up.

Gorun gave Happy a once-over as his wings faded away and asked, "Did we learn our lesson?"

"Aye, sir…" the little exceed mumbled, lying flat on his back, staring vacantly at the stars. "First Erza, now this guy… No one appreciates my humor."

"You made fun of _Erza's_ love life?" Gorun asked with a disbelieving shake of his head. "I'm surprised you're still in one piece."

"Aye…" Happy said again.

"While I can't say that Happy's comments were exactly appropriate, I thought you above striking your friends," Carla said as she frowned at the long-haired Saiyan. "You certainly could have hit him without sending him into the atmosphere."

"I was mad, Kinana means a lot to me," Gorun muttered defensively as the others looked at him reproachfully. "I don't like someone making light of that fact by insinuating that I would so easily go behind her back like that, especially after how she stood up to Bacchus for us."

Carla folded her arms and sighed, "Fair enough. Just try to remember that not all of us are as resilient as Natsu and Erza."

"I will," the boy promised. Looking over at Happy begrudgingly, he added, "Sorry I kicked you so hard."

"Sorry I made fun of you and that other girl," Happy replied weakly. "Are we friends again?"

Gorun's eyebrows raised, then he vanished from their presence. Before anyone could wonder where he had got to, he reappeared, holding a still-wriggling fish, caught fresh from the ocean. "Fairy' best friends," he grinned impishly.

Everyone but Happy groaned at the horrible pun, who seemed to have forgotten his long flight and the kick that had caused it in favor of the meal Gorun had brought him.

* * *

Soon after, Lucy opened the door and told them that Yukino had left. "So what'd she want?" Natsu asked as he walked in the room. He was careful to keep his voice low as to not wake Kinana.

"She… wanted to give me her keys," Lucy answered them in the same low voice, a strange look in her eye. "She had the last two golden zodiac keys."

"Wait, so you have the complete set now?" Gorun asked, eyes wide with surprise. "When was the last time all of the zodiacs were contracted to one wizard?"

"They never have been, as far as I know," the blond girl replied with a wistful smile. "And they still aren't. I didn't take them."

"Wha-?! Why not?" Wendy asked. Despite her surprise, she managed to keep her voice down low enough to avoid waking the sleeping purple-haired girl.

"This is most surprising," Carla mused. "You passed up quite the opportunity."

"A golden opportunity, some might say," Gorun grinned crookedly, though he was still clearly surprised by her decision.

Lucy ignored him and explained, "The bonds between a celestial spirit and their wizard, when treated properly, are irreplaceable. I couldn't take that away from her, even if she was offering of her own will to give them up. Maybe it was a missed opportunity, but I wouldn't have felt right taking it."

"Did she say why she wanted to give them to you?" Gorun inquired.

"She said that she wanted them to be with a wizard who could use them properly, and make them happy," she replied. "But honestly, her spirits seemed perfectly content with her during the match. I saw no reason to disrupt their lives like that."

"Huh," Gorun and Natsu muttered at the same time. They exchanged a look before Gorun asked, "You feel the same way, yeah?"

"Uh-huh," the pinkette nodded vigorously. "We gotta go after her. Can you track her down?"

"Easy," Gorun nodded, putting two fingers to his forehead and holding out his hand. "Grab on. I'm finding her right now."

"What're you two doing?" Wendy asked them as Natsu grabbed onto his hand, and Happy held onto his back, intent on going with his partner.

"Don't worry, we won't be long," Gorun smiled. "Just need to make an apology." Then they were gone.

* * *

Yukino was barely two blocks away when she heard footsteps behind her. Strange, she had been sure that no one had followed her from the inn, and her conversation with Lucy seemed to have been finalized. Perhaps it was just someone looking for a place to spend the night like her?

A somewhat familiar voice cancelled those thoughts and caused her to stop in place. "Wait up! Miss Yukino!" She turned around with some surprise to see Gorun, the fire dragon slayer, and a blue flying cat that reminded her of Sting and Rogue's companions.

"Sorry to run after you, but I didn't think you'd leave so suddenly," Gorun said as he and his friends came to a halt in front of her as she turned all the way around to face them.

"Yeah, we were worried we weren't gonna have a chance to catch up to ya," Natsu said with a grin. "I actually can't believe she stopped- guess she's not so bad after all!"

"Hey hold on!" Happy objected, frowning at his best friend before Yukino could understand exactly what was happening. "You can't just assume somebody's a bad person just cos they're in another guild!"

"Duh, why d'ya think me an' Gorun came out here to apologize to her for, ya dummy?" Natsu retorted.

"Apologize…?" Yukino asked out loud, confused. She looked to Gorun, who shrugged with a sheepish grin.

"So far so smooth," Happy said sarcastically. Turning to Yukino, he added, "Sorry about Natsu, ma'am. He can actually be mature when he _really_ wants to."

"First I've heard of it," Gorun remarked.

"Aw, thanks guys," Natsu grumbled. "I can really feel the love."

"Wait… You all followed me out here…? To apologize?" Yukino asked slowly, not sure if she hadn't hit her head too hard when Kagura defeated her.

"Well, yeah," Natsu said with a sheepish expression. "I mean, it seemed like the least we could do when you seemed so down in the dumps."

"His words, not mine," Gorun interjected. "But yeah, you seemed like you could use a pick-me-up, and to be honest, we could've been a little nicer to you when you came to see us."

"Nicer?" the girl repeated, the word a little more than a whisper.

"Well, I don't think that squabbling in front of you was very polite on my part, so I'm here to apologize for that," Gorun admitted. "Also, I should've tried to make you feel more welcome instead of just passing you over to Lucy- bad hosting. So… sorry about that, Miss Yukino." He inclined his head toward her in a sign of respect and repentance.

"And I'm sorry I thought you were a bad egg just cos you were in Sabertooth," Natsu added, copying his friend's bow, though a little more dramatically. "Oh, and for following you- I guess that might've come off as a little creepy."

"N-No," Yukino said as her head lowered, her hair veiling her eyes. "You're very kind." The tremble in her voice that Gorun had noticed before was back, and it was getting stronger.

 _Uh-oh_ , he thought as he straightened up.

Natsu, of course, didn't notice. "Whew, glad that's settled," he said, shoulders slumped in relief. "Maybe we can- huh?!"

The surprised sound was drawn out of him as Yukino sank to her knees, sobbing while she covered her face with her hands. "I can't… take it anymore…" she wailed softly.

"Whoa! What'd I do?!" Natsu yelped. Usually when a girl cried around him it was somehow his fault, as Lucy was so fond of pointing out. He'd thought that he was getting better at not doing that!

Happy was quick to come to her rescue. "Whatever he did, ma'am, I'll fix it!" he assured the girl as he hovered next to her.

"No!" she sobbed, the word torn out of her. "You- You're all so kind to me! No one's _ever_ been this kind to me, and I… I…"

Gorun went to move forward, then hesitated. His first instinct was to comfort this poor girl, and try to alleviate the source of her suffering. However, as he had just pointed out to the others earlier in the evening, he was very committed to his relationship with Kinana. He wondered if any actions taken on his part to help her through whatever had caused her to break down in front of them would come back to bite him later on.

He quickly decided that he could deal with the consequences later- right now, there was a person who clearly needed some form of support, and while he thought well of them both as wizards, Gorun was not as confident in Natsu and Happy's ability to bring comfort to someone in such stark distress when they had no idea what had caused it.

He knelt beside her and put a hand on her shoulder, hesitantly, gently, afraid that anything too quick would be perceived as hostile in her stressed mindset. "Miss Yukino, what happened to you?" he asked simply, his voice steady and strong, hoping to convey a sense of security.

* * *

She told them everything. How she had idolized her now former guild. How hard she had worked to make it into the illustrious group. How she had felt on joining them. The elation she experienced when asked to be part of the team representing them in the games. Her horror on realizing her mistake when Kagura defeated her. The shame that stained her as she was forced to strip naked in front of the entire guild. The shattering of her spirit when she was forced to remove her own guild mark. How she no longer knew what she could even do with her life, if it was worth living on.

All of this, she poured out to them. As she went on, the horror on Happy's face grew and grew until he was close to tears on behalf of the poor girl. Likewise, Gorun and Natsu's faces continued to bear an increased level of emotion, but theirs' were not faces of the shocked. No, they bore the expressions of outrage and seething fury.

"Natsu…" Gorun breathed in a low growl as he stood up slowly, his hands trembling with emotion. "We have work to do."

"Damn right we do," the pink-haired slayer seethed, his teeth grinding viciously. "Happy? Ready for a midnight adventure?"

"Aye, sir!" the little cat nodded, his chin firming up.

"First things first," Gorun said as he looked down at Yukino, who was looking up at them blearily, through tear-filled eyes. "You're not finding a hotel tonight. You're staying with our friends, where it's safe."

"N-No, I can't-"

"You can and you will," Gorun said, a little more firmly than he meant to be. Seeing her flinch, he made a huge effort to control his temper for just a moment longer and held out his hand to her. "Please, Yukino. We're not leaving you out here alone. No one should be alone after what you've endured."

"I'll always be alone…" she sniffed miserably, wallowing in her self-loathing.

"If you believe in your spirits half as much as Lucy does, you know that's never been true," Gorun told her, his voice still firm, though not unkind. "And if that's still not good enough, from now on, feel free to call on any of us as a friend."

"Friend?" she repeated, like the word was foreign to her.

"Aye sir!" Happy said fiercely. "And we never leave our friends when they're feeling down, right Natsu?"

"Aye sir!" the fire mage nodded sharply. Turning to Gorun, he said, "Feel free to catch up- Happy and I are going now."

"I won't be far behind, promise," Gorun said with a strange smile. As the pair took off, her turned back to Yukino and said, "Please, Yukino. I can't in good conscience leave you alone like this. Stay with our friends for at least one night."

Stunned, and not entirely sure that he and his friends weren't somehow mocking her silently, yet feeling an odd glimmer of hope that things could get better after tonight, Yukino reached out and grasped the strong hand that had been offered to her.

* * *

Explosions rocked the building that was currently housing the mighty Sabertooth guild. Said disturbances were seemingly exclusive to the upper levels, where some of the guild members were resting while others had been socializing.

One of the members that had been trying to rest was Sting, who'd had it rough on the chariot race earlier that day. The violent shockwaves shaking his room had him wide awake quickly, and he tried to figure out what could be causing them. "The hell's happening?" he muttered as he started to get out of bed.

"Maybe's it's a party?" his best friend Lector, a brown talking cat that could sprout wings and fly, mumbled sleepily. Obviously his reflexes were not on the same level as his dragon slayer companion's.

Another set of explosions quickly heralded the arrival of a fully dressed Rogue and Frosch, the former of which looked thoroughly displeased. "There's an intruder," he said briefly.

"Everything's going boom-boom!" Frosch added helpfully.

"The hell?!" Sting yelped, surprised, though he quickly moved to don his favorite vest. "Who'd be stupid enough to attack us?! They gotta have some kinda death wish!" As they ran out of his room toward the center of the explosions, he threw on the blue garment, Lector and Frosch not far behind.

"No idea, but if they think they're getting out of here alive, they're in for a real shock," Rogue growled angrily, his red eyes gleaming.

* * *

They reached the main hall where the members of Sabertooth gathered for meetings and leisure time while staying at the hotel just in time for the big doors that led to another hallway were blown off their hinges, red-and-orange flames licking the ornate wood.

" _Where is your master?!_ " a voice bellowed from the smoke and dust. Two men moved to attack the speaker, who was starting to become visible through the debris. Fast as lightning, the figure lashed out, kicking them both straight up through the roof and screaming, " _TELL ME!_ "

The dust finally cleared enough to make the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth flinch and halt in place. It was Natsu Dragneel, fists aflame, and face twisted in fury as he stared down the majority of the Sabertooth guild- those he hadn't already thrashed.

He wasn't alone, either. Walking up behind him was a man whose sudden spike in popularity was in no small part due to the fact that he had gone toe-to-toe with Iron Rock Jura without there being a clear winner, and there were not many who would say he would have outright lost had the fight dragged on.

Gorun of Fairy Tail had assumed his golden-haired takeover form, heat and power radiating even from the distance he stood at. The rubble around him was actually moving away from where he stood, his aura was so intense. Emerald eyes blazed with anger, but it was a controlled anger, though just barely. Clearly, he was ready to let loose, and woe unto anyone foolish enough to stand in his way.

"Your master," he called out shortly, his tone biting. "Bring him out before I vaporize everything in this building to find him- seeing as I'm in a rotten mood, I may not bother separating people from property." He casually slapped a stealth wizard who tried to sneak up behind him with the back of his right hand, and the result was another large hole in the wall.

Sting and Rogue were about to move when there was a heavy footstep directly behind them. Then the gravelly voice of Sabertooth's master said, "If you two have something to me, say it."

"You the leader of this sorry bunch?" Natsu demanded, a hard-yet-wild look in his eyes. "I heard you have some pretty hard rules around here. One loss and you're out, eh?"

"What's it to you maggots?" Jiema snarled.

"We wondered if you played by the same rules as your underlings," Gorun said shortly, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Seems only fair, doesn't it, Natsu?"

"Yeah," the boy snarled, his flames growing brighter. "If he made his guild's rules, he should have no problem following 'em! So let's go- you lose to us, and you gotta quit the guild, too!"

"They're from Fairy Tail…" Gorun heard a blond man muse to his bulky, green-haired companion. He recognized both of them as competitors in the games.

"Yeah, but why?" Sting muttered, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that someone not only had the guts to storm their guild's temporary residence, but to also directly challenge their master?

"These guys are gonna get murdered," the Saiyan youth heard a brown-haired exceed mutter.

"Yeah, I don't wanna watch this…" said his green companion. The fear was plain in both their voices, if not their faces.

"Scared, are we?" Gorun challenged, and he wasn't just talking to the guild's master.

"You two actually think to fight me?" Jiema snorted. "Despite one of you taking on a wizard saint, that's a very foolish move." Gorun took note of his body language and power level as the man spoke. His power was respectable, he had to admit. He also knew that raw strength alone did not win a fight, or determine the caliber of a fighter, which is why he always took note of an enemy's body language. Right now, Jiema's attitude was relaxed, bordering on disdainful. So he was either confident or stupid, and despite his opinions on how Fiore's government worked, he knew that stupid guild masters were not tolerated by the Magic Council.

"We came here to teach you not to turn your back on people you're supposed to care about," Natsu bellowed. "So listen up!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jeima replied, apparently unmoved by Natsu's declaration. "But it sounds to me as though you think everyone should operate by your own personal moral code."

"Hello Kettle, name's Pot, have we met?" Gorun snarled. "Just because you're a guild master doesn't mean you get to run how others live their lives. Don't try to argue ethics when you forced a girl to shame herself in front of those she thought she could trust. You know full well what we're speaking of, dung sack."

"Hey, Doebengall," Jiema said in a bored tone. "Deal with these intruders."

"Yes sir," said a man with messy brown hair dressed in a ninja's black garb. He seemed to appear out of nowhere, and he quickly teleported behind the pair, energy spiking. His right hand was enveloped in a rainbow of colors that became a sharp blade of energy that shot out like a whip at Natsu.

Gorun caught the weapon, and with a flick of his wrist, sent the man up to meet the ceiling. Doebengall seemed to have quick reflexes, because he teleported before he could impact the roof, vanishing and reappearing several times in rapid succession in an attempt to disorient his foes.

"I may not be competing this year," he said in a soft voice. "But I am just as skilled as those who were chosen to represent us in battle. I suggest you leave if you know what's good for you."

"Stop hiding behind your flunkies and fight us!" Natsu shouted, charging forward, seemingly intent on ignoring the man sent to combat him.

"I am the master of this guild, boy," Jiema replied as his subordinate moved to intercept. "I have better things to do than indulge you childish games. If you wish to fight me, you have to earn that privilege."

"And I will not let you near him!" Doebengall vowed.

"My business ain't with you, so _outta my way!_ " Natsu screamed, ducking a set of needle-like energy darts that his attacker had cast before delivering a flaming uppercut that completely smoked his adversary, sending him as a smoldering heap to lie at his master's feet.

"Wanna try again for a jewel?" Gorun sneered, stepping up to be by Natsu's side once again.

"Master, I'll handle them," Sting volunteered, about to step forward, but he was stopped by Jiema's massive hand and forearm.

"You'll stay put," Jiema growled. These two fairies were annoying, he thought. However, he could admit that their resolve was… intriguing. Perhaps he could learn something from these strange wizards that had defeated so many of his foot soldiers and one of his elites without so much as a single scratch being put on them.

" _Hraaaah!_ " Natsu screamed out his fury and launched a full-scaled magical assault on Jiema, at first without much success. Every single one of his blows seemed to be met by some kind of force field that made the air shimmer like the ripples a stone causes when thrown into a still pond. Jiema simply kept one fist in front of his body, content to let Natsu wear himself out.

"You have spirit, boy," he mused aloud, as if talking about nothing more interesting than the passing weather. "Unlike those in my guild… It's interesting." He let Natsu get in another couple of punches before moving to make a counterstrike. "However, spirit is not enough!" He moved to crush the little pink-haired wizard so that he could get back to his night of leisure.

That changed when one of his blows got inside of Jiema's defenses and caused the man to double over as Natsu's flaming fist slammed into his gut. Then it was a slugfest as Natsu rained blow after blow on Jiema, all of them connecting with his body with such intensity that lesser men would have been killed fifty times over.

"Ready, Gorun?!" Natsu snarled.

"Waiting on you!" the golden-haired wizard shouted, having been almost forgotten by the Sabertooth guild master.

"Hmm?" He muttered as he looked over at the other intruder, before his eyes widened slightly.

" _Magic Fusion!_ " they cried in unison. Gorun's hands were cupped by his ribcage, blue light pooling between them. Natsu had quickly adopted a similar stance, with flames dancing between his hands. " _Fire Dragon… Kamehameha!_ " In perfect sync, their hands shot forward, and a blue magic circle tinged with orange sprang to life, aimed at Jiema. A beam of energy that blazed with the heat of the sun while trailing orange flames shot out on a path to scorch the master of Sabertooth.

An explosion that dwarfed the previous ones that night rocked the city block. It took several moments for the dust to settle, but when it did, they were all surprised at the outcome. A young woman, face heavily decorated by makeup and clothed in a blue dress, had appeared seemingly out of thin air to interpose herself between the fused spell and the guild master. The air around her fingertips shimmered like water with a rainbow tint as she stared at the two Fairy Tail boys with a bemused expression.

"Minerva," Jiema growled. "How dare you interfere? I was about to crush these two insects."

The woman smiled and inclined her head in her master's direction before saying, "Forgive me for my interference, Father. I simply sought to save you a headache." The big man grumbled under his breath, but made no move to counter her appearance and influence in the conversation.

"More than his head will be aching when we're finished with him," Gorun snarled, green eyes narrowing.

"I doubt that," Minerva smirked before waving her arms gently in front of her. "I suggest you play nice if you want to take your kitty home in one piece." The air shimmered between her hands before Happy materialized, bound with ropes and crying loudly.

Gorun's sensitive ears prickled at the sounds the little feline was making- those were not the sounds of someone merely in distress. The loud sobs were drawn from the voice of someone who had been subjected to raw, stark terror. "What'd you do to him?!" Natsu demanded, taking a half-step forward.

Minerva clutched the small exceed closer to her with a dark smile and said, "Ah-ah… We're not here to discuss my behavior right now. The way I see it, we have three intruders, and multiple of our members wounded as a result of their actions here tonight. Seeing as _you're_ the aggressors, I hardly think anyone will object if we were to seek retribution. However, it would still be awkward for us if my father were to kill you two- might sour the mood of the games, don't you think?"

Gorun and Natsu said nothing in response, seething and furious that this woman had so effectively applied leverage against them. Seeing this, Minerva smirked again, savoring her victory.

"I'm willing to extend you an olive branch," she stated. "You seem to have vented your frustrations, however imagined they might be, thoroughly on our members. We will overlook this and return your precious kitty cat to you if you agree to walk away now without any further trouble. Then we can resume the Grand Magic Games like nothing ever happened."

Natsu gnashed his teeth, but quickly settled his temper before saying, "Fine. Have it your way." Minerva nodded and released Happy so that he could run into Natsu's arms, sobbing and blubbering.

"Natsu!" he cried. "I'm sorry! They caught me by surprise!"

"No, it's okay li'l buddy," the pinkette said in a soft voice as he hugged his friend close. "I should apologize to you, since we got separated cos of me."

"It's okay," Happy mewled, exhausted.

"C'mon," Natsu said, turning around. "Let's get out of here."

"You go," Gorun said, surprising the pair. "I'll catch up in a minute." Natsu looked a question at him, not moving from where he stood.

"Your time here is over," Minerva said coldly. "Your friend has agreed that you are to leave peacefully."

"He agreed that he and Happy would leave without further trouble," Gorun replied waspishly, his aura flaring slightly. "I won't stop them from doing that, but I haven't made any agreements to leave."

One of Minerva's perfect eyebrows rose slightly. "Oh?" she demurred. "And what will you do? Take on our entire guild alone? Even you aren't that powerful."

"Maybe, maybe not," the golden-haired warrior sneered. "Regardless, I'll leave… but only after one question is answered."

"You'll leave when m'lady says to-!" Another Sabertooth wizard went flying through the roof, courtesy of a backhanded fist connecting to his jaw.

"Are you the one replacing Yukino in the games?" Gorun demanded, his eyes never breaking contact with Minerva.

"If you are referring to the child that recently fell out of our guild's good graces, then yes I am," she nodded once.

The saiyan hybrid nodded slowly to himself several times as he forced his golden aura to fade before muttering, "Minerva of Sabertooth… Your father has humiliated one friend of mine. You yourself have caused distress to another companion I value, and by proxy, yet one more comrade that shares a brand with me. There will be consequences for this- and my people don't hand out easy punishments."

"Your people?" Minerva laughed. "You mean that ragtag group you call a guild? What can they do against the might of Fiore's number one guild?"

Gorun smiled warmly at her, but his gray eyes were like ice. "Yet another log to be added to your funeral pyre," he replied as he walked over to put a hand on Natsu's shoulder. Speaking up, he added, "All of you will soon learn the consequences of turning your back on someone you're supposed to care for." With that, they vanished with his instant transmission.

* * *

The trio reappeared at the Honey Bone Inn where they found Yukino talking quietly to Lucy and Erza. The others were all awake, including Kinana, who gave Gorun a tired smile as he started to walk towards her. However, before he took two steps, Gray approached them with a heavy scowl on his face before asking, "Just what were you two thinking?"

"That some renovations were in order at the Sabertooth guild's hotel," Gorun smirked.

"No, I mean how could you go without me?!" he growled. "I wanted to fight some of those jerks too, you know!"

"You snooze, you lose," Natsu laughed, enjoying the fact that he'd gotten in on a good fight without his icy rival.

"Enough, all of you!" Erza said sternly as she rose and strode over to them with quick, angry strides. "What happened over at Sabertooth's hotel? We heard explosions." Gorun summarized their encounter with the guild master, and the terms on which they had parted. Erza ground her teeth in response and growled, "Natsu, Gorun, what you did was foolish and dangerous! Have you forgotten that we're representing everyone in the guild with our actions this week?! If you really did cause a ruckus with Sabertooth, what's to stop them from taking revenge in kind?"

"Yes, now that you've angered them, we can expect every member of Sabertooth to have it out for Fairy Tail," Carla added.

Gorun's eyebrows met in a sharp 'V' above his eyes. "So what, we were supposed to do nothing after what they did to Yukino?" he demanded. He had briefly appraised Erza on the girl's situation before vanishing to join Natsu in his battle against the tigers. "Last I remembered, Fairy Tail doesn't let its friends suffer without retribution. Besides, Sabertooth can hardly admit that it got thrashed by a supposedly weaker guild if they want to maintain their image."

Before Erza could utter a sharp retort, Kinana spoke up. "We know your intentions were good, Gorun," she said with a sad expression. "But the reality is that even if this Minerva person said that they'll act like nothing happened, their guild is still very likely to try and take revenge in the games."

"Ah, let 'em," Natsu snorted, cracking his knuckles. "We took on some of their top guys and they were total pushovers."

"You haven't gone up against Minerva in a real battle," Yukino said softly, causing everyone's eyes to swing to her. "She's unlike any of the others on the guild's team in terms of magic power and battle prowess."

"She and her father seemed very sure of themselves," Gorun admitted after a slight pause. "Their power levels are nothing to laugh at, either." Erza glanced sharply at him as he spoke, though he didn't notice. For Gorun to admit someone's strength, they clearly had to be in a league above the normal run of wizards.

"Great, as if Raven Tail wasn't enough to deal with," Lucy groaned unhappily.

"What's done is done," Erza said heavily. "From now on, if you have a problem with either of those guilds, take care of it in the games, unless we have express permission from Master Makarov. Am I understood?"

"Yeah," the others mumbled.

"Good, now let's all get some rest," the redhead ordered. "Yukino, you can take Natsu's bed for the night." Since the six beds were already filled by the six active and reserve members of Fairy Tail Team A, one of them was going to have to give up a bed to accommodate their guest. Since she couldn't punish Gorun, she figured taking away Natsu's bed would do for now.

"N-No, I can-"

"Why do I have to sleep on the floor?!" Natsu demanded, cutting off the silver-haired girl.

 _Wham!_ "Because I said so," Erza said simply as she walked away from the Salamander, who was lying unconscious on the floor after her fist had collided with his head. As she walked to show Yukino to the bathroom, where she could freshen up, Gorun took the moment to make his way over to his girlfriend's bedside.

"I'm glad to see you're awake," he said, relief evident in his voice.

"I'm glad to see you safe, especially after you do silly things," she smiled up at him as he grasped her hand tenderly. "Seriously though, we need to play it safe until the games are over at least."

"Neither of us were hurt," he protested weakly.

"Happy got kidnapped," she reminded him, causing him to wince.

"Okay, fair point," he sighed. "Next time, don't bring Happy with me on crazy revenge missions."

"Aye, sir," Happy agreed from where he was sitting on top of Natsu's unconscious body. Apparently he wasn't going to protest against sleeping on the floor when it was Erza who had ordered them to give up their bed for the night.

Kinana squeezed his hand firmly and looked at him with somber eyes. "I can't tell you to be careful, since a wizard's line of work can be very dangerous," she said. "But please don't put yourself in unnecessary harm's way. Fairy Tail wouldn't be the same without you."

He wanted to argue that what he had done was necessary, but he made sure to pause and measure his words carefully before he did, as to avoid a major conflict with her. "I just don't have it in me to let someone that's been so wronged continue to suffer without making sure their transgressors are punished in some way," he finally said. "And it's in my nature to act swiftly. To not have gone over to Sabertooth's residence tonight would have gone against what I believe to be right."

"I know," she said with another squeeze of his hand. "But now we need to face the consequences of your actions, good or bad."

"You mean the guild?" he queried at her use of the word 'we'.

"Well, yes, but more immediately, you and me," she told him. "I'm with you, Gorun, and that means that your actions have an impact on my life, too. I'm glad that we've gotten close as we have, I really am. I just want you to remember that when you act in such a big way, I'm going to be standing beside you through it." The Saiyan felt a new surge of warmth for his girlfriend, and before he could think on it much, he leaned forward and kissed her right on the mouth.

For a moment, he had thought that she was angry with him, and maybe a part of her was. However, she had spoken to him in a way that conveyed that while she didn't wholly approve of his actions, she had reaffirmed that she would stand beside him in times like these. _She's right, I need to be more mindful of how our relationship affects us both,_ he thought as he broke contact with her, standing up straight with a huge grin on his face. He was about to tell her so, and add in a 'thank you' for good measure, when he felt a pillow smack him in the side of the head.

"Get your own room if you wanna make out!" Gray told them.

Both Gorun and Kinana flushed deep red when they realized that everyone but Erza, Yukino, and Natsu had just seen them kiss. Wanting to wipe the smug expression off of Gray's face at that moment, Gorun snatched up one of the pillows on Kinana's bed and flung it full force at the ice wizard's face.

The other boy ducked and the pillow went sailing to hit Lucy, causing Gorun to wince in alarm. "Sorry!" he called as she glared at him.

"Haha!" Gray laughed. "Too bad you can't aim that as well as you aim a Kamehameha!" _Thwack!_ "Ow, Lucy!" he protested as he turned around to see the blonde Celestial Wizard holding the pillow she had thumped him with. "What gives?"

"You ducked, so it hit me instead of your ugly mug," she said as if that explained everything.

"Pillow fight!" Happy exclaimed.

* * *

The next day at the Grand Magic Games was to be presided over by of course, professional commentator Chapati and former Council Member Yajima. This time, their guest speaker was what some might have considered an unusual choice- Magic Council Enforcement Officer Lahar. Gorun's eyes narrowed as he gazed up at the relatively young, bespectacled man. "He's the one that arrested Jellal in the Nirvana incident, yeah?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Mirajane nodded. Looking over her shoulder, she added, "I guess that explains why he's not even here today."

 _So we were right not to let him take an active role in the games,_ Gorun thought. _If this Lahar person has been watching the games, odds are that he would have recognized Jellal, disguise or no. Still…_

"Hey, where's that Sabertooth girl that you helped out yesterday?" Mirajane asked him.

"No idea," Gorun said with another frown. "She was with Lucy for breakfast, but I haven't seen her since. I'm kind of worried about her, if I'm being honest."

"Maybe she decided she wanted to go home after what happened yesterday," Juvia offered.

"Maybe," Gorun agreed half-heartedly. "I just wish there was something more we could have done for her."

"You mean besides blowing up her old guild's hotel?" Gajeel grinned.

"I stand by what I did," Gorun sniffed.

"Look, not that that this isn't fascinating, but I think we're out a reserve member," Laxus muttered, bringing their attention back to the fact that Jellal was not present. "In that case, we'll have to play it safe for the rest of the games."

"Screw that noise," Gajeel said dismissively. "If I'm competing, I'm not holding back."

"Maybe we could have one of the Thunder Legion fill in the reserve member spot," Juvia suggested. "After all, all three of them partook in the S-class trials seven years ago."

"That's not a bad idea, I'll ask Gramps about it," Laxus agreed after thinking about it briefly.

"There's no need, your reserve member is already here," said a familiar voice. The others looked back up to the entrance to their box and were surprised to see Cana, dressed in a white jacket that covered her arms, but left her black bra and midriff exposed. She also wore tight black leggings that showed off her fit legs. Gorun was tempted to smack himself in the face, but before he did, he noticed that while her clothing style hadn't changed, she seemed completely sober, and there was no flask of any kind on her person.

Forcing himself to meet her gaze, he raised his eyebrows in a question. She saw it, rolled her eyes and said in a flat tone, "Yeah, I haven't drank since our contest. You won. Congrats."

"Okay, look," he said, forcing himself to take a deep breath to calm himself. "Can we start over now? I realize that I probably crossed a line with my terms of the bet, so for that, I'm sorry. All I want is what's best for my friends in the guild, and I thought that was the best way to get through to you. I am sorry that I projected my moral code onto you, though."

Her purple eyes stayed cold for several seconds, the tension in the box growing thicker by the second. Then her gaze warmed up and she even gave him a small grin. "Well, you did give me an out- several times," she said as she walked closer to him. "I can't say you weren't a gentleman about it. And I did lose, fair and square, so I'll hold to the terms you set- even if I don't like it."

"Does this mean that we can be on friendlier terms now?" he asked hopefully, eager to bury the hatchet between them.

"Hmm… I'm still mad that you're making me quit, and what you said about my clothes," she said, her lips going flat again, and he felt his spirits sink a little. However, she did go on to say, "I understand that you were just trying to look out for me, though. You're the first person to actually have some spine to his argument, too, so I'll cut you some slack and offer you another deal."

"A deal?' he inquired, curious, though he hoped she wasn't going to challenge him for her right to booze out again.

"If Fairy Tail Team B takes home the grand prize… If you show that your convictions aren't just words and empty promises, I'll call it even between us," she said as she stretched out her hand for him to shake.

He did so eagerly. "I'll win this, just you wait and see," he grinned, relieved to finally be making some headway in his relationship with the stubborn card mage.

"You better, or I'll find ways to make your life hell," she said with a strangely aggressive smirk that left him feeling a little disconcerted.

"Okay…" he said uncertainly. "Got it…?" He looked to the others for clarification, but all they did was shrug and look unaffected. Actually, Juvia seemed to be enjoying the fact that he was uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything.

"Goodie," Cana smirked. "Now, what's happening?"

"We're just waiting for them to announce the name of the game before we decide who we're going to send in," Laxus answered.

"I've called dibs in any event if Jura is going to compete," Gorun added. "We have unfinished business."

"Still mad that it was a tie?" Cana said as she pulled out some of her tarot cards and began to study them.

"It wouldn't have been if I'd had ten more seconds!" Gorun said indignantly.

* * *

As it turned out, that day was Gorun's lucky day. The event was dubbed 'Pandemonium' by the judges, and almost immediately, he saw Jura taking to the field. "I call dibs!" he shouted as he leaped out onto the field, a little surprised when he heard the crowd cheering to his arrival as he walked out to the center of the field, where the other competitors were gathering. Deciding that it would be rude to ignore them, he waved a little bit to the crowds and smiled, glad to see that Fairy Tail was finally being seen in a positive light.

Among the competitors, he could see Erza, the green-haired man from Sabertooth, the blue-skinned figure that had attacked Wendy to represent Raven Tail, and a girl wearing a cape- and precious little else- coming from Mermaid Heel.

 _What is with the female population of this world?!_ Gorun thought as he smacked himself in the face. _Haven't they ever head of a modern invention called pants?!_

He felt a strong hand on his shoulder, and turned around to see Jura standing behind him with a broad smile on his face. "I'm glad to see that you're competing today," he said as they shook hands. "I look forward to settling the score once and for all."

"So do I," Gorun smiled back. "Though I hope your master doesn't spin you too much when you lose." He had seen what happened to the wizards that disappointed Lamia Scale's guild master.

"Hmm," Jura grinned again. "Let's wait until events have unfolded in their entirety before we draw any conclusions, shall we?"

"Fair enough," Gorun agreed, though he couldn't help but feeling confident. He was ready to once again show the world what he and the guild that he loved were capable of.

The last of the competitors gathered and fell silent as the pumpkin mascot began to explain the event 'Pandemonium' and its rules.

* * *

Gorun had seen many battles and many feats of unimaginable skill in his time, but Erza's battle against the monsters of the Pandemonium castle was one of the most moving displays of resolve that he had ever seen. Against odds that would have crushed most men, the Titania of Fairy Tail rose, stronger than ever. She pushed past the bruises, cuts, cracked bones, and doubts of those that watched to annihilate every monster that came to challenge her.

When she finished the last beast and was crowned the undeniable vanquisher of the castle, her entire team embraced her as the crowd went wild, for the first time truly exclaiming their adulation for the guild that they had once thought dead and better off forgotten. Thanks to Erza, Fairy Tail was beginning to see what could be the dawn of their glory days returning.

Once her teammates had finished congratulating and praising her, Gorun moved forward to say, "That was amazing, Erza. Remind me of this the next time I think sparring against you is a good idea."

She smiled tiredly at him, but her eyes were bright as she said, "I look forward to seeing what you'll come up with to surpass my performance here."

"That's a tall order, but I'll do my best," he laughed. Then her teammates led her away, eager to get her to see Porlyusica.

"Your friend is an admirable wizard," Jura commented as they waited for the judges to decide what to do next. After all, the event designed for eight people had just been completed by a single competitor, so they needed to come up with something for the others to do, too.

"Okay, everyone!" called the pumpkin-man, as if on cue. "I've just finished talking to the judges, and we've decided that the remaining competitors need to be ranked. So using the same order that you drew your sticks, we've set up a new game." He gestured to a large floating device with a spherical lachryma set in the middle as he added, "This game might seem a little on the boring side compared to Pandemonium, but it oughta suffice."

"What is that thing?" Olga, the green-haired man from Sabertooth asked gruffly.

"It's the Magic Power Finder, or MPF for short," the mascot explained. "It measures how much magic energy is being used and converts it into numerical form."

"So it's purely a contest of magical strength, then?" Gorun asked eagerly. When the mascot confirmed that it was indeed, a huge smile split Gorun's face from ear to ear. This competition could literally not be any more perfect for him. "Awesome."

"Now then, let's get started!" the pumpkin-man said, gesturing for the girl from Mermaid Heel- Millianna was her name, if memory served Gorun- to step forward.

She scored 365, which was a completely different number to what Gorun measured out in his head, but it didn't matter too much. As they soon heard from the judges, her score was actually a respectable one- high enough to place in her in the ranks of the soldiers that policed the kingdom with magic.

Surprisingly, everyone up to the man from Raven Tail continued to score lower and lower on the MPF. When it came to Obra from the former dark guild, he only clocked in at four points, and Gorun sensed absolutely no surge of magic from him whatsoever. _What game are they playing at?_ He wondered as he watched the ever-silent raven skulk away. _I expected them to cheat so that they could win the match, not lose it… What's his angle?_

He filed the thoughts away for later when Olga stepped up to take his shot, curious to see just how strong this tiger was. He didn't have to wait long. Taking a stance not unlike the Kamehameha, Olga bellowed, "One-twenty millimeter _Black Lightning Cannon!_ " Again, that dark lightning that reminded the Saiyan youth of Goku Black shot forth to strike the MPF dead-on. The number that came up when he was done was astounding to the audience.

"And Olga scores a whopping 3,825 points!" Chapati exclaimed.

"No way, he's ten times stronger than me?!" Millianna cried in shock.

"Damn," Gorun muttered. He had to admit, it was a higher number than he had been expecting. Still, it wasn't enough to make him worry.

Especially now that Jura was about to compete. Doing his best to ignore the obnoxious wizard while Olga began to sing into the microphone that he had taken from the mascot, Gorun paid very close attention to Jura's power levels, which he was quick to notice were rapidly rising.

"Do you mind if I give it my all?" he asked the referee.

"That's the game isn't it?" the pumpkin-man replied.

 _Oh boy,_ Gorun thought, sweating lightly. _This is gonna get dicey._

He wasn't wrong. The moment Jura closed his eyes and began to concentrate, the entire arena began to rumble violently. A yellow aura surrounded him as he bent his brow downward in concentration, and Gorun recognized the attack that the man had been about to use on him during their battle. _Let's see what he's got!_

" _Rumbling Fuji!_ " Jura bellowed. An earthquake of massive proportions erupted beneath their feet- only to be controlled at the last second by the wizard saint so that all the geo-kinetic energy shot skyward to strike the MPF device precisely. The score displayed was enough to make even Gorun's eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh my goodness, Jura scores more than twice as high as Olga with 8,544 points!" Chapati exclaimed. "I think we've set the bar for this competition!"

"Now don't forget, our last competitor has gone against Jura in the games already, and there was no clear winner due to a time constraint," Yajima argued. "Maybe this Gorun fellow will surprise us."

 _At least one of the judges thinks I can,_ Gorun thought dryly. Then, casting his gaze to Team B's box, he saw nods of encouragement and waving hands. Flashing them a thumbs-up and a confident grin, he stepped up to his place, only then looking at Team A's box. He saw them all giving him similar signs of encouragement, and something that made his eyes widen with surprise. Kinana was there, of course, blowing him a kiss, but that wasn't what surprised him- though it was definitely nice to see. Next to her, waving shyly with a small smile on her face, was Yukino, cheering him on alongside the members of Fairy Tail against her former guild.

Erza's words from the previous night came back to him then. _From now on, if you have a problem with either of those guilds, take care of it in the games,_ she had said. Glancing at the green-haired man who was looking stunned at how outclassed he had been by Jura, he grinned as he thought of how good it would feel to take the loudmouthed wizard down another peg.

"Ready for me?" he asked the mascot.

"All set, pumpkin!" the little man said happily. "Do your best, okay?" The words were clearly meant to be conciliatory- after all, very few people in the crowd actually expected him to be able to measure up to Jura's raw power.

Just before he began to cast his magic, he said, "Quick question."

"Yeah?"

"The rules of this event say that I can hit it with any one spell, right? There's no restrictions on spells that I use on myself?" he asked swiftly.

"That's right!" the mascot nodded enthusiastically.

"Then here goes," Gorun grinned fiercely. " _HaaaaaAAH!_ " Golden light surrounded him and infused his hair, transforming him into the Super Saiyan of Fairy Tail.

* * *

"Which attack do you think he's gonna use?" Natsu grinned. "I'm betting on the Kamehameha."

"Are you kidding? That Hellzone Grenade thing that he used on Jura the other day made the whole stadium shake, he's gotta be using that one," Gray argued.

"You're both wrong," Kinana told them from where she was standing. "He's got something else in mind that he hasn't used yet- though we did almost see it in action against Jura at the end of their battle."

"Wait, you mean the one with all the crazy lighting that went everywhere?" Lucy yelped. "Didn't you say he could blow up half of Crocus with that?"

"He could," she nodded. "But he won't. He's a lot more in control of himself this time around, see? I think he's telling them to position it so that he can blast it without causing any damage to the stadium or the city." Indeed, even as she spoke, the MPF was being moved by an unseen wizard to float higher in the air so that Gorun could use his spell properly.

"What's the name of the technique?" Erza asked curiously.

* * *

Gorun's arms were spread wide, and the heat from his aura was becoming unbearable to those that were close to him. If that weren't enough, lightning began to leap forth from his hands as he slammed his wrists together, just as he had the other day in the final moments of his match against Jura. It flew in multiple directions, causing several of the other competitors to take cover, but he was careful that it didn't hit the MPF. He didn't want to strike it prematurely and have them call it as his used spell.

 _For Yukino,_ he thought, willing more energy into his hands. _For Kinana._ Lightning scorched the earth next to Olga. _For Fairy Tail._ Another stray blast nearly zapped Obra, who hardly flinched. _For the downfall of Sabertooth and Raven Tail!_ A white light appeared between his hands, and he knew it was time to act. _This is the primal fury of a Saiyan!_

" _Final… FLASH!_ " He screamed so hard, it was a wonder that his voice didn't break. A large yellow magic circle appeared and spewed forth a monstrously-sized beam of pure etherion, swallowing up the MPF and shooting off into the sky. It was a tremendous, terrifying display of power, and it lasted for a good fifteen seconds before he released his focus and the beam shrank down until it finally disappeared altogether.

When it was all over, the crowd was dumbstruck. In a day full of events that just seemed to grow ever more impossible, this was the final stretch for them. The MPF was gone without a trace, only Gorun's score remaining where the device had once been, and even then, they couldn't be sure that it was accurate- after all, it was clear that the mechanics were not supposed to read higher than 9,999. It was a record that would stand for many years to come.

"And it's over nine thousand!" Gorun burst out laughing, dropping out of his ascended form. The crowd went wild again, praising his efforts and recognizing Fairy Tail wizards for what they were- powerful, determined, and ready to throw their entire selves into the competition so that they might win and restore their good name.

"It seems that Fairy Tail is really on a roll now!" he could hear Chapati exclaiming into his mic. "Can anyone stop them?!"

Struck by a sudden burst of inspiration, Gorun shot up into the air and hovered right below his displayed score so that as he raised his hand in his guild's sign, his finger pointed directly to the evidence of his victory. "There is no stopping us!" he cried exuberantly. "We're number one even now, and we're gonna prove it!" Lowering his hand, he slowly floated downward, fixing his gaze on Sabertooth's box seats to lock eyes with Minerva.

He saw her lips tighten and her brow bend downward as her eyes conveyed the message, _Enjoy this while you can._

 _Oh, we will,_ his smirk replied.

* * *

 **Gorun: Okay, Fire Dragon Kamehameha? What's the difference between it and regular one?**

 **Mataras: Mostly that it would be more potent against a dragon, which could be important during the Dragon King Festival arc. Also, it torches stuff more than disintegrates them.**

 **Gorun: Sweet. Also, I'm glad that I seem to be making some headway with Cana- that whole thing was really starting to bother me. You know I don't like having conflict with my guildmates!**

 **Mataras: Yeah, but what good is character development if I don't push you both out of your comfort zones?**

 **Gorun: Fair enough. Now, when do I get to pound Minerva into a pulp?**

 **Mataras: Not long, relatively speaking. It'll be another month before the next chapter is released, so there's that.**

 **Gorun: Cool. Next time- Ethereal Issues**

* * *

 _ **Next time on Saiyan Tail...**_

They watched in tense anticipation as the battle began, with Alexei taking an overwhelming lead against the gifted Lightning Dragon Slayer. As Laxus tried desperately to fight back, Fairy Tail Team A shouted encouragement to the young man. However, despite the intense battle taking place in the arena, none of the six power levels that had taken to the field had engaged in battle so far. Furthering Gorun's suspicions was the fact that he was picking up on absolutely no ki from the four members of Raven Tail that were watching the match with maniacal grins. _If they had zero magic power in them, they wouldn't be smiling like that_ , the youth thought grimly, remembering the state Wendy and Carla had been in when he and Kinana had found them in the gardens. _They're probably illusions, too._

Gorun wished that he could engage telepathy magic on his own, but it was a skill he had never spent any length of time on, preferring to hone his combat abilities. He berated himself for it now, wishing that he could call out to his comrades to let them know what was happening. As it was, he was going to have to act on his own, and hope that he could unmask Raven Tail's plans before anything happened to Laxus. He knew that the young man was immensely powerful, but even the mightiest of fighters could be brought down by simple bad luck, as he had seen before. He'd rather not take chances.

So thinking, he continued to pour his energy and concentration into his fingertips, biding his time until the moment was right to unleash Master Piccolo's technique. It was taking longer to charge than he could like, but if he went Super Saiyan to power it more quickly, he would definitely attract more attention than it would be worth. He needed to stay unnoticed, unhindered, until…

He felt one of the power levels on the field spike, and it didn't belong to Laxus. Not hesitating for a second, he took his fingers off his forehead, aimed them at the source of the energy, and fired, shouting, " _Makankosappo!_ "


	10. Ethereal Issues

**A/N: Happy Halloween, everyone! It's the end of the month, which is close enough to the beginning of the month for me to have this ready for you!  
Wait, what?**

 **In any case, since this is the tenth chapter, I have something new to show you guys- namely, a remastered, completely digitized version of the artwork originally created by my wife and myself! It took a few weeks and a lot of experimenting with a new art program, but my wife is amazing!**

 **In any case, enjoy the chapter!**

 **P.S. I may or may not have lost my mind at some point during the omake...**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 7_

 **Ethereal Issues**

Gorun had just finished receiving congratulations from his teammates when they noticed an unexpected visitor in their box area. The Saiyan youth was exchanging a fist bump with Gajeel when he noticed that there was a man with short hair dressed in the white robes of a magic council officer standing at the entrance to their seats. He had aqua blue eyes and a set of scars next to his left eye that became clearer as he moved towards them.

"Congratulations on your victory, Son Gorun of Fairy Tail," he said as he stopped a few feet away from the wary wizards. Each of them knew that the magic council seemed to have it out for their guild, so they were instantly suspicious of the man, no matter how well-mannered he might seem.

"Good afternoon," Gorun said after an awkward moment of silence. "Can we assist you somehow, officer?"

"Yes, actually, you can," the man nodded pleasantly enough. "My name is Doranbolt. I'm with the Magic Council's custody enforcement unit, working under Lahar. I have some questions for you that I'd like answered in private." He spoke politely, but his tone left no doubt that this was not a request.

Gorun was immediately tense, but he forced his face to remain calm. _Have they discovered Jellal and my connection to him?_ He wondered quickly. Out loud, he asked, "Mind telling me what this is about?"

"I do mind," Doranbolt replied calmly. "It's something I think is best discussed behind closed doors."

"Do you have a warrant to detain me for questioning?" Gorun challenged him. "Because if you don't have one, or probable cause for a crime, I don't have to go anywhere with you." He saw the other man's eyes widen with surprise. The boy smiled inwardly at the sight, though his face remained blank. He knew from the others that Fairy Tail wizards usually didn't have the legal know-how to wriggle out of getting entangled with the Magic Council.

Doranbolt's face rid itself of the surprised expression and settled into a slight frown. "Look, I'm not trying to cause trouble," he said, trying to remain reasonable. "I just have a few questions I need answered."

"Tell me what it is you wanted to discuss, and I'll go along quietly," Gorun said firmly. "Because I see no reason for me to just play along unless you actually have a concrete reason for detaining me."

Doranbolt's frown deepened, but he seemed to realize that unless he gave some ground, he wasn't going to get anywhere. "My superior and I want to know how you acquired the magic circle formulas for etherion," he finally said in a lowered tone. "Only the Magic Council is supposed to have access to that research."

"Oh, that," Gorun deadpanned. He knew that there was no point in trying to lie about the nature of his magic circles- the man was clearly not under the impression that his attacks utilized simple light magic. "All right, officer, I'll follow you. I suppose this is something that shouldn't be talked about where unfriendly ears can hear."

"Wait, is Gorun under arrest?" Mirajane asked, looking worried. The others all looked at Doranbolt suspiciously, clearly not willing to trust him.

"No, no!" the man said defensively. "He's… Well, to be honest, I don't really know what he is right now. Normally, we'd suspect someone of stealing our research, but in the time since Gorun has been an active member of your guild, there hasn't been any break-ins at our research division. More than anything, we're curious about how he obtained the knowledge of how to harness etherion."

"You profiled me?" Gorun asked, offended.

"The council profiles all registered wizards, it's nothing personal," Doranbolt said in a placating tone. "The fact that you don't have any kind of criminal record is working in your favor, actually. I promise that you're not under arrest- and you'll stay that way as long as you can prove that you came about this knowledge through honest means."

"So using etherion isn't against the law?" Gorun asked. He'd tried to research the subject back when he first began to practice his magic, but he had been unable to find anything that suggested that it was or wasn't.

"Very few types of magic are illegal," Doranbolt answered. "Death magic and spells that interfere with one's free will are among them, but I honestly don't think that there's a law about wizards privately using etherion- mostly because this is a new precedent." When they all stared blankly at him, he elaborated, "No one has ever been able to use etherion outside of the magic council before. I don't think any of the previous members of the council ever considered that someone would eventually figure it out on their own."

"Talk about careless planning," Gorun remarked. When Doranbolt shot him a look, he shrugged and said, "I'm just saying that if one person can figure it out, it stands to reason that someone else can figure it out, eventually."

"Look, if I'm being honest here, my boss probably would have tried to arrest you on the spot for even knowing how to use etherion," Doranbolt said impatiently. "He'd assume that you stole it from the council because they're the only ones with the formula needed for an etherion blast. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you're starting to try my patience."

"All right, all right," Gorun said with his hands raised in a placating gesture. "I said that I would go with you, and I will. Lead the way, Mister Doranbolt." Turning back to the others, he asked, "Cana? Think you can take my spot in case they call on me to fight again?"

"I doubt that they will, but sure," she nodded. "Just try not to take too long. You don't wanna miss all the action, right?"

"Of course not," he grinned easily. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

* * *

The Council Officer led him to a room where there were two guards stationed at the entrance. Gorun raised his eyebrows at the security measure, but he said nothing. Based on their power levels, he felt it was safe to say that if they tried to detain him, he could defeat them with minimal effort.

The room itself was Spartan in décor. Four wooden chairs, a table made of the same material, and a blue lachryma set in the middle of said table, of which Gorun was unable to determine its purpose. Still, there were no manacles or other restraint devices evident, so he shrugged to himself and made his way to one of the chairs, sitting down before Doranbolt could invite- or order- him to do so.

"All right, officer," he said briskly. "What do you want to know?" He had already decided to be as open and honest as possible without revealing his true origins. He didn't even want to consider what might happen if this man found out that he was not only foreign to Fiore, but in fact an alien to this planet altogether. The more cooperative he was, the better chances he had that this man and his superiors wouldn't go snooping around about his past in any more detail.

Doranbolt, slightly taken aback by this the younger man's confidence and assertiveness, paused a moment before he shut the door behind him and took a seat opposite from Gorun. "Well, as I said before, my boss and I want to know how you came into possession of the magic circle formulas for etherion." As he spoke, the blue lachryma began to glow softly, and then Gorun understood.

"Are we being recorded?" he asked, gesturing to the device.

"Yes," Doranbolt nodded. "This won't be made public, obviously, unless I discover some reason to arrest you and we need this for a trial. Now, if you would, I'd like some answers."

"The etherion formula isn't that complicated to figure out," Gorun replied, getting straight to business. "I'm honestly surprised that it's such a well-concealed secret. All it takes is a basic understanding of the construction of magic circles, and an eye for parallels."

"Parallels?" Doranbolt frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, according to the research I've done- public knowledge, by the way- etherion is made up of all kinds of elemental magic," the boy replied. "It's not hard to take the next step from there."

"What next step?" Doranbolt asked, still frowning. "Hold on, before you answer that, let me ask something else; how did you manage to condense so many magic circles in the first place? I've never seen anything like that before."

"I didn't condense anything," Gorun answered, a slight frown on his own face now. "The magic circles I cast are singular in nature, with the exception of my Kaioken spell, which uses what I call a 'stack effect' to amplify the basic functions of the enhancement. Isn't the Etherion Cannon fired by a single magic circle?"

"No, it takes dozens of circles in a specific alignment to create the right spell," Doranbolt replied, thinking rapidly. "The etherion blast aims to harness ethernano directly, which means that it needs multiple elements to draw out the trace etherion in each individual spell in order to create the effect we want for such a huge blast. But if you're telling me that you only use a single magic circle for your spells, then that means…" His eyes widened as he stared at Gorun, realizing what he was getting at. "You created a magic circle that harnesses ethernano directly?!"

"I was under the impression that was how the Magic Council did it," Gorun said carefully. "But what you've told me seems to contradict that. Instead of using a single circle, your method is more of a hodgepodge than anything."

"How did you learn how to do this?!" Doranbolt asked, his tone a mix between eager and slightly anxious.

"Researching different elemental magic circles put me in the right area," Gorun answered. "As I said before, you need to have an eye for parallels. Not believing in coincidence helps, too."

"You're talking in riddles!" Doranbolt growled. "I need straight answers!"

"Am I under arrest if I don't spell it out for you?" Gorun replied calmly. "As far as I know, you don't have any right to the specifics of my research since it doesn't fall under any illegal categories of magic. Also, you said that only the council has access to their methods of using etherion. Unless there's been some kind of break-in to your research vaults, I doubt you can even hold me on probable cause. All of which boils down to the fact that I'm only answering your questions out of courtesy and a desire to avoid making a scene at the games."

Doranbolt's jaw clenched, and Gorun sensed that he had struck a nerve. "Look," the young Saiyan continued, "I understand your concern about how I must have obtained this power, but I've already outlined the background of how I got there myself. Put a research team on it with the information I've supplied if you need to. But I will _not_ just be handing over my research on a silver platter because you asked nicely. You want my notes on the subject, get a warrant, and I will happily hand them over if the government thinks that it- or I- am a legitimate danger to society."

"Maybe I will," Doranbolt scowled. He was frustrated, and more than a little puzzled. His prior experience with Fairy Tail had led him to believe that while there were a good group- if a little destructive- they were not well-versed in how the law worked, a weakness the council had exploited on more than one occasion. This book-smart kid came as a surprise.

"Do you have any other questions for me, or can I get back to my team, sir?" Gorun asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"No, I-" Doranbolt paused, then corrected himself. "Actually, there is one more question I did have." Gorun halted from standing up, then sat back down again, a prompting look in his eyes. "That takeover form of yours…" Doranbolt said slowly. "I've never seen anything like it before. Is it tied in with your use of etherion?"

Gorun hesitated for the briefest moment before he answered, "In part. I'm not telling you how it works, though. If the government wants to know how to use my magic, they can do their homework like I did." Obviously he wasn't going to tell them that no amount of research would allow them to create a Super Saiyan, or a 'Saiyan Soul' takeover spell, as he had dubbed it.

Doranbolt sighed heavily and waved the teenager out of the room as the recording lachryma darkened, muttering, "Fine, then. But expect a closer eye to be kept on you after this, Son Gorun. I can understand your reluctance to share your knowledge with the council, especially given your guild of choice. Personally, I don't think you constitute any kind of threat to our kingdom, but there will be those that don't share my opinion."

Gorun's eyes darted to the darkened orb before he asked, "Is that a threat?"

"Not at all," Doranbolt smiled wearily. "Just a friendly warning. Believe it or not, I'm rooting for Fairy Tail in this year's games."

Gorun's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he said nothing until he had opened the door to the room and muttered, "Thank you for your support, officer." With that, he was gone via instant transmission.

Doranbolt drummed his fingers on the desk as he mulled over the information he had been given. Admittedly, the boy hadn't given him much, but the implications of what he had said was enormous. _A new way of harnessing etherion…_ he marveled silently. _Lahar will want to know about this… and report it to the Magic Council._

He frowned at the thought. Admittedly, he had a soft spot for the newly revived guild, and the thought of the Magic Council knowing that one of their members had allegedly discovered a new way to harness etherion was a troubling one. The council headman in particular had never been fond of the raffish group of wizards, and he would take any excuse to stamp the guild out if he felt that their position could be undermined by Fairy Tail. _He might just have Gorun arrested without even bothering to hear him out, even with the recording I have here_ , he thought grimly.

No, it was best that the council did not hear of this in any official capacity- at least, not until he had something more concrete to report.

The man weighed his options quickly. He could tell Lahar that Gorun had refused to meet with him, but he was positive that would only lead to an arrest, and on false charges, no less. On the other hand, if he told Lahar what had happened verbatim, and showed him the recording, the result might well end up being the same.

He needed a third option, one that would see Gorun left alone- as far as Doranbolt was concerned, the kid hadn't done anything wrong- and keep his superiors happy. He was about to tear at his hair in frustration when it hit him.

* * *

"Okay, what'd I miss?" Gorun asked as he popped into existence next to Gajeel, who was startled sufficiently to crash an Iron Dragon Club into Gorun's head, knocking him to the floor. "Ow!" the Saiyan boy yelped. "Jeez, what gives?!"

"What gives is that you keep pulling that freaking vanishing act and then popping back up when we don't expect it!" the long-haired slayer shouted belligerently. "We're not used to it like the guys that got left behind! You coulda been an enemy for all I knew!" Gorun was aware of Cana laughing at him in the background, but he ignored her.

"Do I look like a Raven?" Gorun grumbled as he got to his feet and massaged his bruised jaw. It wasn't the hardest hit he'd ever taken, but it was a respectable strike, especially given how little time it took Gajeel to react. It was going to be sore for a while unless he could get Wendy to look at it later.

"You missed the first two matches since they were both pretty quick," Laxus explained. "That cat girl from Mermaid Heel that competed in the contest earlier beat Quatro Kerberos' guy."

"Huh," Gorun mused. "Granted, Bacchus seems like the only hard hitter they've got, but I'm surprise that Millianna was able to win anyway. She seems kinda… clueless."

"She's sharper than she lets on," Mirajane interjected.

"Got it, lower power level, but she knows how to work with what she's got," Gorun nodded. "What about the second match?"

"It was that memory guy from Sabertooth against Eve from Blue Pegasus," Cana answered this time.

"Meh," Gorun shrugged. "Can't say I really care who won that one. They both tick me off." Rufus he hated because of his association with the guild that had humiliated Yukino. Eve he disliked because he had tried to hit on his girlfriend right in front of him. Granted, they hadn't been dating yet, but he still didn't like the idea of other guys hitting on the sweet-natured barmaid.

"The wizard from Sabertooth won, obviously," Gajeel put in.

"But Eve put up a better fight than we were expecting," Juvia argued. "His magic may not seem very remarkable, but he's very clever with how he uses it."

"He still lost," Gajeel shrugged.

"Okay, so who's next?" Gorun wondered, the information already filed away in his mind. Now he was more interested in what was to come.

"They haven't announced it yet," Cana replied. "They had to do some cleanup after the last battle." She gestured to the field, where several wizards could be seen at work, making repairs to the stone walls that had been damaged during the fight.

As if on cue, Chapati announced, "With only a few minutes to go before the next event, it's time to announce the lineup! Next up we have… Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail Team B versus Alexei of Raven Tail!"

The entire team instantly tensed up and looked over at Laxus, whose face was a cold mask. "Guess it's showtime," he said as he walked out of the stands to go wait down by the gate. The others watched him go, each with varying expressions of concern written on their faces. Even Gajeel, who normally affected not to care, had a small frown on his brow.

The reason for their worry was obvious- Ivan's guild had targeted their own since before the games began, and now his son was being offered to them on a silver platter. If the man's vengeance was not halted by some sort of familial bond, it was only likely to be more intense against the young man that had chosen Fairy Tail over him. All of them thought that the latter was more likely.

"Anyone know an invisibility spell?" Gorun asked hopefully. "Lend him some backup?"

"I could use a stealth charm on a card, but it's not something I've had a lot of practice with," Cana answered with another frown. "It might fail mid-fight, and I don't want our team getting caught out by the refs, especially since it would give Raven Tail the upper hand."

Gorun cursed under his breath but nodded a reluctant agreement. "All right, looks like we'll just have to keep our eyes open," he sighed. "I'll keep an eye on their power levels, see if anything is fishy."

* * *

Five minutes later, they could see Laxus walking out confidently to the call of the crowd, matched by Alexei of Raven Tail. As soon as both men were standing in their respective places, Gorun's finely honed sixth sense told him that there were five power levels approaching his comrade, despite what his eyes told him.

 _An illusion?_ He wondered briefly. Then he cast the thought aside, placing the two longest fingers of his right hand against his head, as he snapped to himself, _Doesn't matter what's going on, this is our chance to catch Raven Tail in the act._ Normally, this was the position he took to utilize his instant transmission, but now he took a slightly wider stance, energy beginning to crackle at his fingertips as he prepared to use a technique he had not utilized in some time.

"Gorun, what are you-?"

"Shut up, I'm concentrating," he said shortly to Mirajane. Then, deciding a bit of an explanation was in order, he added in a tense voice, "Raven Tail is up to something for sure. I'm picking up on six power levels on the field, even though we're only seeing two fighters."

"Are you sure?" Cana asked, the worry evident on her face. "If you're wrong about this…"

"I'm sure," he muttered. "Someone get a message to Master. This battle might be about to turn into a war. The rest of you, get ready for a fight." After a brief debate, Juvia rushed off to do as Gorun had ordered. At that moment, all of them wished that Jellal hadn't had to be absent that day, since he was proficient in telepathy magic, not to mention that even in the guise of Mystogan, he would have been a welcome addition in battle.

They watched in tense anticipation as the battle began, with Alexei taking an overwhelming lead against the gifted Lightning Dragon Slayer. As Laxus tried desperately to fight back, Fairy Tail Team A shouted encouragement to the young man. However, despite the intense battle taking place in the arena, none of the six power levels that had taken to the field had engaged in battle so far. Furthering Gorun's suspicions was the fact that he was picking up on absolutely no ki from the four members of Raven Tail that were watching the match with maniacal grins. _If they had zero magic power in them, they wouldn't be smiling like that_ , the youth thought grimly, remembering the state Wendy and Carla had been in when he and Kinana had found them in the gardens. _They're probably illusions, too._

Gorun wished that he could engage telepathy magic on his own, but it was a skill he had never spent any length of time on, preferring to hone his combat abilities. He berated himself for it now, wishing that he could call out to his comrades to let them know what was happening. As it was, he was going to have to act on his own, and hope that he could unmask Raven Tail's plans before anything happened to Laxus. He knew that the young man was immensely powerful, but even the mightiest of fighters could be brought down by simple bad luck, as he had seen before. He'd rather not take chances.

So thinking, he continued to pour his energy and concentration into his fingertips, biding his time until the moment was right to unleash Master Piccolo's technique. It was taking longer to charge than he could like, but if he went Super Saiyan to power it more quickly, he would definitely attract more attention than it would be worth. He needed to stay unnoticed, unhindered, until…

He felt one of the power levels on the field spike, and it didn't belong to Laxus. Not hesitating for a second, he took his fingers off his forehead, aimed them at the source of the energy, and fired, shouting, " _Makankosappo!_ " Yellow energy with a pink tinge shot from his fingertips in the semblance of a drill bit, straight at the arena where, ironically, Alexei apparently had Laxus in a chokehold.

The illusion shattered like a giant glass dome, scattering the false images to the wind, and simultaneously shocking the caster enough that the fake Raven Tail members in the stands vanished an instant later. Although what probably held the audience's- and the contestants'- attention the most was the person that had been struck in the shoulder by the piercing technique.

It was Obra of Raven Tail, surrounded by all of his teammates, including Alexei- or rather, his guild master, Ivan, as they could now see with his mask removed. The blue man collapsed without a sound, falling to the sand with a soft _thump_.

Seeing the guild master on the field, surrounded by his goons, Gorun felt a fierce sense of satisfaction with his decision. Pointing at Ivan, Gorun bellowed, "Violation by Raven Tail!"

Makarov quickly took up the cry, shouting, "You know what this means, Fairy Tail! Off to war, and off with those scumbags' heads!"

" _YEAH!_ " The shout echoed from every member of the guild's throat as the scene dissolved into chaos. Fairy Tail Teams A and B took to the arena, all of them lighting up with magic circles, with the exception of Lucy, Kinana, and Wendy, who elected to stay back with a very confused-looking Yukino. Laxus took advantage of the mayhem as his comrades leaped onto the field to sucker punch his father with a lightning bolt, frying the man and sending him flying to crash into the arena wall.

In the background, they could all hear Lahar and Yajima shouting for the Custody Enforcement Unit to get in the arena and calm things down, but they were too late. The final, inevitable battle between the Ravens and Fairies had begun.

Nullpudding tried to take a shot at the lightning mage, but Gray was already on him, swinging a massive hammer made of ice to crash into the spiky man and pummel him into the dirt. Erza followed that up with brutal swipe from her Purgatory Armor's mace that left him a bloody mess in the dirt.

To the side, Obra was trying to get up, but was swiftly discouraged from doing so by Gajeel, who took immense pleasure in clubbing him with his Iron Dragon magic. Behind them, Mirajane and Cana managed to corner Black Snake, with the card mage disrupting his sand transformation via an explosion charm so that that the she-devil of Fairy Tail could finish the job with an Evil Explosion that left him in a similar state to his comrades.

Last to go was Flare. She was confronted by Natsu, who had a dark look on his face, and found her escape route cut off by Gorun, who also looked thoroughly angry with her. "You made Lucy cry," Natsu snarled, his fists lighting up. " _No one_ makes Lucy cry and gets away with it. Not while I'm around!"

"I also heard about what you tried to do to Asuka," Gorun said tightly, referring to how Flare had threatened the child's life in order to gain an unfair advantage over Lucy during their battle. He had been told of the occurrence the day before, and it had nearly sent him into a Super Saiyan spree. "I like that kid." He had- along with Kinana- babysat the little girl many times for her parents over the last year, and as a result had grown fond of the young gunslinger.

The crimson-haired, psychotic wizard screamed as she lashed out with her burning locks to strike at the two young men. Natsu answered with his usual response and starting eating the fiery hair, much to the shock and rage of their opponent. Gorun triggered his Super Saiyan form, the blowback of his aura simply shoving back the intended attack like it was no more annoying than a stray leaf. Flare's eyes darted between the two of them, the fear of certain retribution overcoming her crazed bloodlust even for a moment.

The two Fairy Tail wizards did not disappoint. " _Masenko!_ " Gorun shouted, blasting Flare towards Natsu, who was standing ready.

"Fire Dragon _Iron Fist!_ " His punch connected solidly with her jaw as she flew at him, and even with her resistance to fire magic, the sudden reversal of direction was going to leave the woman with a very burnt, and very bruised jaw when she woke up.

Grinning at his teammates, Gorun said, "Well damn if that didn't feel good."

None of them noticed a tiny figure escaping from Obra's cloak and running off into the shadows. It was an oversight they would come to regret.

* * *

Raven Tail was ultimately led away in chains, though the Fairy Tail wizards were given a stern reprimand by Lahar, who warned them against any more foolhardy action. Still, since the ravens were the ones to initiate the rule-breaking, as Gorun had managed to prove with the shattering of the illusion spell, they were not penalized for the brawl, and Laxus was even awarded the ten victory points by default.

As team B headed back to their box seats, Laxus muttered to Gorun, "I had them on the ropes."

"I know, but I prefer not to take chances," the boy replied in an equally low tone. "One of the strongest people I ever knew was almost killed by a common firearm because he let down his guard at the wrong moment. I didn't want to see that event repeat itself."

Laxus went to argue back, but the grim look in Gorun's eyes and hunched set to his shoulders made the blonde man realize that Gorun had acted the way that he had because he cared about his comrades. So he said nothing, choosing to keep his grumblings to himself, partly because in the end, his father's dark guild had been foiled and undone. And today, that was what mattered.

* * *

The final match pitted Lamia Scale's Sherria Blendy against Wendy Marvel of Fairy Tail Team A. Gorun looked on at the pink-haired girl with interest, having been told that she was the cousin of Sherry, and one of the wizards that had helped looked for the missing Fairy Tail members long after others had given up the cause as lost.

He sensed a tremendous wellspring of magic power from both of the young contestants, and their ensuing fight showed that despite their small statures, neither of them were wizards to trifle with. However, he became distracted about halfway through the battle. _"Gorun, can you hear me?!"_ Jellal's mental voice startled him a bit, but he managed not to react too badly.

 _I hear you,_ he thought, slightly annoyed. The annoyance was short-lived as he realized that Jellal wouldn't be contacting him in this fashion for idle chatter- something was afoot. _What's going on?_

" _Urtear, Meredy, and I all sense the power that echoes Zeref in the stadium, right now!_ " the escaped convict said quickly, causing the young man to freeze in place. " _We need you to find the source and identify it or them!_ "

 _Possible suspect,_ he replied as he glanced down at Sherria. _The current competitor from Lamia Scale's magic power feels strange to me. It has that reminiscent god energy similar to what I sensed from Olga of Sabertooth._

" _If it's that young girl, I'd rule her out,_ " Urtear said, having apparently been listening in on the conversation. " _This is her first year at the games, yet we have sensed the power every other year, regardless._ "

 _I still say that she and Olga bear watching,_ Gorun replied, even though her reasoning made sense. Something about their magic unsettled him, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why that was.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he began to cast out with his senses, trying to feel for any warped or distorted ki that something connected to Zeref would undoubtedly give off. The problem was, there were so many people that it was difficult to tell one person from the next, especially with the two girls throwing around such intense spells. It was one of the few double-edged facets of his abilities. He could sense any living energy signature, but that sometimes made it more difficult to tell who was who. In some cases, he could have sworn that he was sensing double of the same person.

 _I'll have to look around the old-fashioned way,_ he thought to the others. _I can't sense any dark or distorted energy, not anything that stands out, anyway._

" _I thought he was supposed to be good at this kind of thing?_ " Meredy questioned mildly, setting Gorun's jaw clenching as he muttered an excuse for his absence to his teammates.

" _He_ is _good at this,_ " Jellal insisted. " _Remember, we're more attuned to Zeref's presence because of our prior involvements with his creations. And Gorun's magic works a little differently than ours. He's doing his best. Just give him some time, he'll come through._ " Gorun relaxed a little as he heard the blue-haired man come to his defense.

" _All the same, you should hurry,_ " Urtear encouraged. " _There's no telling how long the power will remain active._ "

 _I will,_ he promised. _And don't worry. Once I get a lock on their energy signature, it doesn't matter where they go. I can use instant transmission to close in on them immediately._ So saying, he began to make his way through the stands at a jog, determined to find the mysterious source of power that held a connection to Zeref.

After about five minutes of searching, Gorun noticed something odd. He was jogging past a group of teenagers on their way back to their seats from getting food when he noticed an energy signature that sent a fierce chill up his spine. _This power…_ he thought, cold sweat breaking out on his brow. _It can't be!_

But there was no mistaking it- the energy he was detecting was reminiscent of the Time Breakers' powers. For a moment he hoped that it was just some sort of spell being cast by Urtear, but the longer he remained fixated on the energy signature, the more certain he became that it was the ki of someone who had violated the flow of time with their presence, not just a wizard with the ability to alter the time of inanimate objects. _Jellal,_ he thought grimly. _I think I've found them. And if I'm right, things are much worse than we could have imagined._

" _What do you mean?_ " the man asked, his voice sounding tense. Gorun could almost feel Meredy and Urtear's nervousness through the mental link as he prepared an answer.

 _Whoever I'm sensing has travelled through time, though whether it's from the past or future, I do not know,_ he replied swiftly.

" _What?!_ " shouted both Meredy and Urtear. The latter of the two added, " _How can you be sure?_ "

 _Something about your ki changes ever so slightly when you appear in a time that you don't belong when using a certain method of temporal travel,_ Gorun answered. _I've sensed this kind of alteration before, from my days before Fairy Tail._

" _What on earth did you do before you came to Fiore?_ " Meredy asked.

 _Not important right now,_ he snapped, feeling on edge. _If the power I'm sensing is the same one that you three have been tailing- if Zeref has a way to send people through the flow of time to wherever he chooses, we may have already lost this war._

" _First things first,_ " Jellal cut in, his voice calm and commanding. " _We need to corner whoever it is you're following, and make sure that they_ are _the same person that the three of us have been waiting for. I can't tell from the distance I'm at. Gorun, keep tailing them until they leave the coliseum, and I'll join you once you've gotten a safe distance away from the Custody Enforcement officers._ "

 _Will do,_ the youth muttered, determined to unveil this mystery.

Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other plans in store for the Fairy Tail wizard. He had managed to sight the individual emitting the energy source- a person dressed in a black cloak - when he was suddenly tackle-hugged by a familiar girl with purple hair.

"Hey, Gorun!" Kinana smiled happily at him. "What'd you think of that last match?"

"Last match?" he repeated dumbly, blinking owlishly at her. "Wait, it's over?"

"Yeah," the girl said, cocking her head as she leaned back and studied her boyfriend's face. It didn't take her long to realize something was wrong. "What happened?" she asked seriously. "Did one of the ravens get away or something?"

"No, nothing to do with them," he said as he cast his eyes around, looking for the hooded stranger. "But… I may have just lost a lead on the reason we're investigating the games…" His brow furrowed as he reached out with his sixth sense, but whoever he had been following seemed to be suppressing their power level- unless they had left the current time, a thought that worried him greatly.

It must have showed on his face, because Kinana shook his shoulder gently and said, "Gorun, hey." His gray eyes met her beautiful green ones, and she asked, "Did I cause you to lose them?" Her expression was grave and worried.

"If they really are here for the games, then they'll be back," he said after releasing a long breath. "And next time I'll know what to look for- they won't get away. What just happened was an innocent mistake, and no amount of worrying or raging is going to solve it."

The girl winced and replied, "Sorry, Gorun. I should have realized that you would be working on-" He placed a finger over her lips to silence her and smiled a little bit to try and reassure her.

"Like I said, it was an honest mistake," he told her. "Besides, I can think of much worse interruptions in a job than being hugged by my beautiful girlfriend." With that, he removed his finger in order to give her a small kiss on the mouth, setting her face aflame. That alone, he decided, was worth the delay in catching this person. He'd have to report to Jellal that he'd failed to catch them, but at least now they had part of a physical description to go off of, and an energy signature that he could instantly recognize the next time he felt it.

He was surprised that he felt so calm about missing out on the capture, but then, Kinana tended to have a calming effect on him. It was one of the reasons he liked her so much.

"Why'd you come up so quick anyway?" he asked her, struck by the sudden question.

"I'm not allowed to surprise you?" she asked him with a small grin. She seemed to still be chafing over the fact that she had caused her boyfriend to slip up, but she recognized his attempt to distract her from the fact, and appreciated it.

"You are, I just wondered at the reason," he told her with a gentle squeeze of her hands.

Kinana smiled at him a little more, then jerked her head over her shoulder, indicating the entrance to Fairy Tail Team A's box seating area. "There's someone who wants to talk to you," she said. Leading him by the hand, she took him into the private area, where the other members of the team were talking excitedly to Wendy, who looked worn out and a bit beat up, but mostly healthy.

The one exception was a silver-haired girl who stood apart from them, a sad sort of smile on her face as she watched the happy guild mates. Gorun looked at Kinana, who nodded and gave him a gentle shove toward the girl.

"Yukino?" he asked as he approached her.

"Mister Gorun!" she exclaimed in a soft voice, surprised at his sudden arrival.

"Just Gorun will do," he grinned easily. Then, letting his face grow serious, he asked, "How are you doing? Did you manage to sleep well in the hotel?"

"I did," she nodded quickly. "That's why I wanted to talk to you, actually. Why I came to the games today with your friends… I didn't get the chance to say 'thank you' for what you did."

Gorun's smile came back a little bit as he scratched at his lengthy black hair and said, "Well, I couldn't exactly leave you to your own devices, could I? That wouldn't have been very good of me. You don't owe me any thanks."

"But I do," she insisted. "Like I said before, no one has ever been so nice to me, showed so much care for me. And you barely even knew me, so you didn't owe me anything at all. But you took me in and made sure that I would be safe when I was at my lowest point. So from the bottom of my heart… thank you, Son Gorun." She stepped forward on impulse, then remembered who was standing behind him.

She looked nervously over his shoulder at Kinana, who had a raised eyebrow. "Um… is it okay if I…?" Yukino asked timidly, her face red. Kinana pretended to think it over for a second, then nodded. But she had a ki blast ready in her hand, behind her back, just in case.

Not wanting to give the other girl a chance to change her mind, she stood up on her toes and kissed Gorun on the cheek for the briefest second. "Thanks," she said with a grateful smile to them both.

Gorun, who had paled and turned back to Kinana, who was very obviously not laughing, asked in a strangled voice, "Did she…? You-? What just happened?"

"She did the same thing to Natsu, so I figured she might do the same for you when she mentioned wanting to thank you in person," Kinana said, barely holding in the laughter threatening to break loose at seeing Gorun's extremely confused and somewhat terrified expression.

"Oh," he managed to say. Turning back to Yukino, he said, "Well, I, uh… Thanks? You're welcome? I'm welcome? Wait, what?" Needless to say, he felt totally discombobulated- that was _not_ how he'd expected to be thanked by anyone but Kinana, ever.

At that moment, Kinana found that she could no longer contain herself, and burst into giggles, joined shortly after by Yukino, though hers' was more subdued as she realized just how uncomfortable she had made the young man.

Still, he did make some pretty funny faces when he was bewildered.

* * *

Final Score of the Grand Magic Games Day 3

 _Fairy Tail Team B: 35 pts._

 _Sabertooth: 34 pts._

 _Mermaid Heel: 32 pts._

 _Fairy Tail Team A: 27 pts._

 _Blue Pegasus: 26 pts._

 _Lamia Scale: 18 pts._

 _Quatro Kerberos: 14 pts._

 _Raven Tail: Disqualified._

"Now _this_ is something to celebrate!" Lisanna cheered. "Fairy Tail is number one in Fiore!"

" _HOORAY!_ " bellowed the occupants of the bar. With that, the drinking, eating, inevitable fighting, and general mayhem ensued, including a barrel-surfing contest.

Yukino looked around, wide-eyed. "Is it always so…?" she hesitated, looking for the right word to use.

"Chaotic?" Gorun offered.

"Lively," she answered with a smile. She had been invited by the Fairy Tail mages to join them for their rounds at the bar, to which she had agreed to after some cajoling from Kinana and Gorun.

"With Natsu and the others from Tenrou Island back, yeah," Kinana nodded. "The place always seems to light up whenever they're around."

"Hehe," Gorun snickered. "Light up." He pointed at Natsu, who was posing for a drawing with Reedus, his fists aflame. Both girls decided to ignore the pun.

Instead, Kinana looked over at Yukino and asked, "Was it not like this at your guild hall?"

A troubled expression came over Yukino's face as she murmured, "No… It was nothing like this." Her eyes became downcast, and she turned to leave. "I should go," she said quietly. "If I stay too late, I won't be able to find a hotel room for the night."

"Stay with us!" Gorun said impulsively.

Yukino looked back at him in surprise, seeing that he was in earnest. "I… I appreciate the offer, but I can't keep taking advantage of your guild's kindness," she answered with a sad smile. "Thank you for being so kind to me, though. And for trying to hold Master Jiema accountable for what he did."

"Sorry, let me rephrase that," Gorun said as he set his drink down and looked at Kinana, who nodded her approval. Stepping forward, Gorun held out his hand to the silver-haired mage and said, "Yukino, we'd like it if you would join us."

"Join you?" the girl repeated, confused. "What do you mean, for a meal?" She rubbed her stomach, remembering that it had been a few hours since she'd had any food.

"No, I mean I want you to join me and Kinana on a wizard team," he explained, his smile widening. "We were talking about it on the way here, and we would both like it very much if you would join Fairy Tail."

Now Yukino's eyes widened in shock and awe as she realized what he was offering. "Y-You'd want someone like me?" she gasped. "But you hardly even know me!"

"So?" Gorun shrugged, keeping his hand outstretched. "I was a complete stranger when I joined Fairy Tail. I met Kinana on her way to work and wound up asking if I could join the guild after only a few minutes. We've known you for over a day, so we're already better acquainted than I was when I joined the guild."

Tears began to pool in Yukino's eyes as she continued to realize that the young man was in earnest. Seeing this, Kinana stepped forward with a tissue for the emotional girl, saying, "Fairy Tail is no stranger to taking in strangers. In fact, we've even taken it a step further than that in the past. See Gajeel and Juvia over there?"

When Yukino had dried her eyes, she looked at the two wizards that Kinana was indicating. The long-haired Dragon Slayer was napping at a table, snoring while his cat talked with his fellow exceeds. Not too far from him, Juvia was gushing over a half-naked Gray, who was looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"I see them," she confirmed. She knew them by name from their attempts at competing in the games, but she wondered what they had to do with her.

"The guild's first interaction with Gajeel was when he was part of a guild called Phantom Lord," Kinana explained. "He was actually sent to terrorize us by his guild master, so he destroyed our old guild hall and beat up Levy and her teammates pretty bad. Juvia worked for the same group, and she kidnapped Lucy for ransom."

Yukino's eyes widened at that piece of news. Looking at either of them, she never would have guessed that they were enemies of the guild. "But they…"

"They started out as our enemies, but Master Makarov is a very compassionate man," Kinana smiled at the confused girl. "When their guild was disbanded and they had no place to go, he offered them a home, even though it made a lot of people really upset. Now they're two of the guild's most resolute supporters."

"Well, Gajeel is, anyway," Gorun muttered. "Juvia is just into anything that Gray is involved in."

"The point is," Kinana said, shooting her boyfriend a warning glance, "Fairy Tail doesn't care where you came from. If you come to us needing help, we give it however we can. If that means giving you a place to call home and a family to love you, then that's what we do."

Yukino was crying freely now, too choked up to even speak. When she had tried to join Sabertooth, she had been forced to prove her worth to them before she was even considered for acceptance. Now here were these people, all but strangers, offering her all the things that she had sought from her idols, yet never received, and without demanding anything in return. They were offering her what seemed like a dream.

"Is this a dream…?" she managed to sob out. She hadn't even realized that she had spoken out loud until she felt a strong hand on her shoulder and a kind voice answering her.

"This can be your home, Yukino," Gorun told her gently. "If people like me and Gajeel can make a life for ourselves in Fairy Tail, I believe that you can, too. Join us, please. I promise that what happened at Sabertooth will never happen to you again."

"We'll treat you like a sister, not a soldier," Kinana added, wiping at the young girl's face with her handkerchief. "Will you join us, Yukino? Please say you will."

After a few minutes of crying and regaining her composure, Yukino finally managed to smile through watery eyes and say, "If Fairy Tail is home to people like you two and Natsu…" She smiled over at the pink-haired mage, who was laughing at something Lucy had said, much to the latter's irritation, then said, "I would love to call this guild a home."

Smiling broadly, Gorun turned around and shouted, "Hey, Fairy Tail!" When every eye in the bar was on him, and things were relatively quiet, he added, "We got a new reason to celebrate tonight!"

The party lasted long past midnight.

* * *

 **Mataras: Ah, catharsis... Such a beautiful thing.**

 **Saiki: I could care less.**

 **Mataras: Oh right, I forgot. You're a sociopath, you wouldn't get it.**

 **Saiki: That maybe, but at least I know how to explain things in my show so that the viewer doesn't get confused. Unlike what you're doing now.**

 **Mataras: Oh, right! I've invited Kusuo Saiki over for this segment, because I just finished binge-watching his anime, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Great show, 10/10, go watch it on Netflix!**

 **Saiki: First I've heard of an invitation. You just made me appear here.**

 **Mataras: Of course I did. This is a fanfiction, I get to make all the rules.**

 **Saiki: You kidnapped me.**

 **Mataras: That's up for debate.**

 **Saiki: No, it isn't. You'll regret kidnapping a psychic!**

 **Mataras: I have coffee jellies.**

 **Saiki: ...How many?**

 **Mataras: Enough to keep you coming back here for the foreseeable future.**

 **Saiki: It had better be good stuff.**

 **Mataras: Like I told you, I get to make the rules. This'll be the best coffee jelly you've ever had.**

 **Saiki: What if I say no and just go home?**

 **Mataras: Then good luck with Nendo and Kukomi showing up at your house along with all you other friends.**

 **Saiki: ...Just keep the Nendo's of this show away from me.  
**

 **Mataras: Deal. Now announce the next chapter.**

 **Saiki: That was not part of the deal.**

 **Mataras: Hey, I said I'd keep the Nendo's away. I said nothing about the Kukomi's.**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- United We Stand.**

 **Mataras: Coming Thanksgiving weekend!**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"Just say when," the Salamander smirked toothily.

"When," Gorun replied, noticing that the bell was about to sound.

Both of them squared themselves up so that they were lined only a few steps apart. Gorun stretched out his arms to his right, his hands flat like blades. Natsu did the same, only his hands were pointed to his left. " _Fu_ …" they said slowly, in unison as they began to move towards one another side-on, their arms describing a pair of large circles.

"Wha-?" Sting wondered aloud, not understanding what he was seeing.

The pair of comrades were now only two paces away from each other, their fingers almost touching. Then they returned their hands to their original positions so that they faced away from each other while bringing their outer knee up to point towards each other's. Balanced on a single leg each, they growled, " _sion…_ "

"Fusion?" Rogue repeated, just as confused as his comrade. Was this some kind of unison raid they were trying to get ready in time for the bell to sound?

" _Ha!_ " The Fairy Tail pair bellowed, bringing their feet down flat on the sand once again. As they did so, they leaned their upper bodies towards each other, side on until their pointer fingers touched, keeping the rest of their fingers closed tight now.

A blinding light shone from where the pair stood, even as the bell sounded and the match was declared officially begun- just as Gorun had planned. Sting and Rogue recoiled, unsure of what to do- neither one of them had seen anything like this before, and had no idea of what to expect from this strange technique. What were the two fairies up to?


	11. United We Stand

**A/N: All right... Where do I start with my week?**

 **My apartment _flooded_ on Friday, and not with just regular ol' water, oh no... It was friggin' _sewer water_ , and it got _everywhere!_ Human waste and everything! I haven't been able to live at my place because the carpet doesn't get replaced until Friday (fortunately most of my family's personal affects were spared damage, but still)! Seriously, if Super Saiyan was a real-life thing, I would have done it this week out sheer frustration and stress! _AUGH!_**

 **...Sorry, I just needed to get that out of my system. Now, for the new picture that I've put up with this chapter; if you read the preview from last chapter, you'll know who it is. If you didn't, well... Go read! Review! and enjoy!**

 **Have a Happy Thanksgiving, even if you aren't American!**

 **P.S. If you are not familiar with the Big Bang Kamehameha, go look it up, as it will be helpful to have a visual during the battle portion of this chapter.**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 8_

 **United We Stand**

Gorun had probably never been more furious in his life. The raging power of the Super Saiyan that he normally commanded so well was threatening to take him over, blinding him, almost choking his ability to think straight. He was like a petrol-soaked pile of wood, ready to erupt into a blazing forest fire at the slightest provocation.

The cause of his current state smiled imperiously at the young man, secure in the thought that his comrades would hold him back- there was no need for her or anyone in the Sabertooth guild to sully their hands with such vermin, she thought. Minerva waved a hand for her comrades to stay back- for the moment.

She had just defeated Lucy in the Naval Battle event in a brutal show of power and control that proved to be too much for even the judges to condone. They had called off the match, likely saving Lucy's life in the process, for Wendy and Sherria were able to administer emergency healing treatment to the downed Celestial Wizard. The entire display had soured a good portion of the crowd's mood towards the number one guild, and had outright enraged a majority of the Fairy Tail guild members. Gorun had taken to the field alongside Natsu and Gray, immediately engaging his Saiyan Soul as soon as Minerva came near them. Even Erza, who was normally calm and collected in tense situations like this one, was to be seen glaring daggers at Minerva, though she regained her composure quickly enough.

Gorun, however, was not quite so calm as that. "Give me one good reason…" he seethed, "why I shouldn't blast you straight to hell _right now_?!" The other members of Fairy Tail that were on the field- Erza, Wendy, Natsu, and Gray- looked up at their comrade, tensing up as he took a fighting stance.

Minerva shrugged nonchalantly, an infuriating motion. "Aside from the fact that you are not strong enough to do so, you would be disqualified from the games, and your team would certainly receive a severe penalty for acting outside the rules of the event," she replied in a bored tone. "Despite your petulance, you should remember that I have acted in complete compliance with the rules of this competition- which is more than I could say for you and the Salamander."

"I said a _good_ reason," he spat, bringing his hands to his side. "You using technicalities to justify your brutality is only fuel for your funeral pyre!"

Minerva's eyes flashed dangerously as her lips curled in contempt. "Please, as if you can speak," she sniffed. "I'd say that you've caused far more harm to our guild members than we have to yours."

"Lucy was an innocent in this," Gorun replied hotly. "Your grudge is supposed to be with Natsu and I. But if you're going to insist on testing my nerves, then I'll tell you exactly how this will end, Minerva of Sabertooth." Blue light began to spill from between his hands as he snarled, "This ends with a tombstone six feet above your head!"

"That's enough!" Laxus suddenly boomed, having rushed onto the field when he saw the beginnings of a Kamehameha. He grabbed Gorun's left arm and began to drag him back, saying, "This isn't the time, Gorun!"

"Get off of me!" the boy roared, struggling to break the other man's powerful grip. "I'm gonna kill her!"

"Not if you plan to take our guild down with us you, you won't!" Laxus grunted. Looking over, he added, "Erza! Help me out with this kid!" The redhead nodded and moved swiftly to grab Gorun's other arm, effectively restraining him as they dragged him off the field. All the way to the exit, they could hear Minerva's laughter, taunting them, mocking their defeat.

"Do send little Yukino our best!" she called out as they made it to the arena wall.

"Let me go!" Gorun screamed. "I'm gonna kill that witch!"

"Gorun, you need to restrain yourself!" Erza shouted back once they were in the tunnel. "You killing her would not help Lucy right now!"

"It'll sure help me!" the boy shot back, straining vigorously to escape their grips. He was honestly surprised that they were managing to restrain him in his Super Saiyan form. "She nearly killed Lucy, humiliated her! She kidnapped and terrorized Happy to get at Natsu! Now she thinks she can mock Yukino and get away with it?! I'm not going to stand for this!"

"You have to, or she'll win anyway!" Laxus growled, panting with the effort it was taking to keep his teammate restrained. "Now drop the takeover before I knock you out!" He raised a fist to Gorun's eye level as it crackled with lightning to punctuate his threat.

The Saiyan eyed the appendage warily, some of his anger automatically reducing as his finely-honed instincts went to work. One-on-one, he was confident that he could beat either Laxus or Erza, though the former would be a real challenge. Fighting both of them at once would be a foolish move on his part, especially if he wanted to be in shape to dispatch Minerva afterwards. Still…

"I can't let this stand!" he shouted angrily, causing Erza to glare at him sharply.

"You think that we plan to?" she asked him challengingly. "You must not have paid a great deal of attention to the bonds formed between each of us if you truly think that. Bear in mind that Lucy has been with us for a great deal longer than we've known you, Gorun. Trust me, Minerva will get what is coming to her."

"Yes, she is," he growled, his hair falling back to its usual place on either side of his head. "And I _am_ the one who is going to make sure of that."

"That's up to the event planners whether you two fight or not," Laxus told him. "If you try to take her on outside the games, you'll be in a lot of trouble- not to mention the rest of us."

"No… it isn't up to them," he said with a strangely cold smile that distorted his face so that he looked very little like the relaxed, charming young man that could be found around Kinana. It gave Laxus and Erza, veteran S-class wizards though they were, shivers to look at.

 _At least he's stopped trying to go out and blast her right this minute,_ Laxus thought uncomfortably as Gorun relaxed in their grip and seemed to calm down for the moment. Still, something about the way that his magic was fluxing beneath his suddenly calm demeanor was disturbing. What the kid was planning, Laxus didn't know, but he knew it couldn't be good for the Sabertooth woman- or Gorun.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later saw both Fairy Tail teams in the infirmary with Porlyusica, hovering over an unconscious Lucy, who was beginning to stir. Gorun immediately readied a senzu bean for the girl, gripping the small bean in his hand, though careful not to crush it. His face was a mask of calm, but inside he was still seething. It was only an active effort on his part that kept his ki from racing out of control and exploding violently. He was certain that Kinana had noticed, and that Laxus and Erza were keeping an eye on him, but he forced himself to ignore the fact. Right now, Lucy needed her guild mates to support her, not witness a squabble while she tried to recover.

As if she were aware of his thoughts, Kinana gripped his hand, the one not holding the senzu bean, and leaned slightly on him. The warmth of her body and the soothing effect she always seemed to have on him eased the tremors wracking his body, relaxing him enough that he almost forgot that he was angry. Almost.

Seeing Lucy lying on the infirmary cot, beaten within an inch of her life, stripped of her keys and dignity was enough to still make him reaffirm his vow to see Sabertooth- especially Minerva- crushed into dust. However, he could see that the others were right to restrain him when they did- getting Fairy Tail disqualified would have just made Lucy feel worse. Not to mention that it couldn't have been easy for his girlfriend to watch him act like little more than a maniac. So he would bide his time, despite how much he wanted to act right then and there.

Just as he was having these thoughts, Lucy began to stir. Kinana released her grip on him as he moved up to stand next to her head, Wendy and Carla moving aside to let him through. "Ugh…" the blond mage groaned.

"Lucy? Can you hear us?" Erza asked urgently.

"I think so…" Lucy replied groggily. "Unless I'm dreaming…? Nope. No way I'd feel this awful in a dream."

"Yeah, dreams don't have these, either," Gorun said, forcing a smile onto his face as he held out his hand with the magic bean. "Eat up- you'll feel better once you do."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Lucy said before opening her mouth so that he could feed it to her, since she was still too banged up to really move her limbs in any sort of coordinated manner. She ate the little item quickly, then sat up straight in the bed, a sheepish grin on her face as all of her wounds faded away. "So, uh… sorry I didn't get first place," she said.

"Seriously?" Gorun snorted softly as he stepped back to be beside Kinana. "You're worried about that? You were just thrashed within an inch of your life, and you're upset because you didn't take home the gold?"

"We still have a chance to do that," Gray reminded them. "And the only way we do it is by bringing Sabertooth down, first."

"Those jerks are gonna regret the day they were born!" Natsu shouted, standing to his feet, having been surprisingly quiet until now. Aside from Gorun, he had been the angriest at Sabertooth- at least as far as outward appearances went- but apparently Makarov had threatened him with some unknown form of punishment if he didn't keep a lid on it.

"Wait a sec, guys!" Lucy exclaimed, a look of panic overtaking her features. "My keys! Minerva took them from me!"

"Here ya go," Happy said as he floated toward her, holding a familiar pouch. "Yukino grabbed them up for you while everyone else was carrying you out."

"Thank you…" Lucy said as she heaved a sigh of relief while claiming the precious items. In her relief, she seemed to have forgotten to ask- if Yukino had been the one to retrieve the keys in the first place, why wasn't the newest member of their guild there to deliver them herself?

Gorun, however, did notice the missing girl, and looked a question at his girlfriend, who shook her head ever so slightly. _Later,_ the action said. He nodded, but hoped that everything was alright.

"The real bad news is that Sabertooth took back first place," Wendy said, breaking the silent lull that had fallen over the room. "One of our teams is gonna have to take the spot back from them."

"More bad news than that, I'm afraid," said a familiar, gravelly voice.

"Oh, Master!" Lucy exclaimed as the elderly man walked through the open door.

Most of the guild members frowned at their leader's countenance and words. "What's happened?" It was Erza who voiced their concern.

"Because of Raven Tail's elimination, there are now an odd number of teams left competing, which makes the battle lineup all but impossible," Makarov answered. "As a result, the event organizers want us to consolidate our two teams into one… and we may only keep the lower score of thirty-five points."

Gorun stiffened, and Kinana swiftly moved to soothe him with a firm hug that meant he couldn't move quickly unless he wanted to hurt her. He looked down at her, realizing what she was doing, and forced himself to take several deep, relaxing breaths. It seemed that his patience was being pushed to the limits a little too often these days, and it wasn't a trait he possessed in abundance.

Finally, he calmed down enough to say, "You couldn't push for us keeping team B's score?"

"I tried, but they insisted that was our consequence for taking on Raven Tail instead of letting them handle it properly," Makarov shrugged.

"Bet they would've made us stick with the lower score even we had let them handle it," Gray muttered. Several of the others nodded in agreement.

"Be that as it may, at least we're not out of the running, m'boy," Makarov shrugged. "I've already selected the new lineup, should the nominees be willing."

"Let's hear it," Lucy said eagerly, clenching her fists.

 _At least_ , Gorun thought, _her ordeal wasn't in vain. The new team's score is as high as it is because of her holding on and standing up to Minerva. We have to make sure not to waste the opportunity that she fought to give us._ There was no doubt in his mind that he would be a part of the new team.

"Er-hem," Makarov cleared his throat. "The members I've chosen are… Erza Scarlet."

"I'll see this finished," Erza promised.

"Laxus," the guild master announced.

"All right," the young man nodded seriously.

"Son Gorun."

The Saiyan hybrid stood up straighter as his name was announced. "I'll crush Sabertooth and secure our spot as number one," he vowed with a slight growl.

"Gray Fullbuster."

"Good," the icy mage remarked. "I've still got a bone to pick with Sabertooth, myself."

"Natsu Dragneel," Makarov announced.

"All right, now I've got a major fire in my belly!" the boy crowed. Turning to Lucy, he added, "Don't worry, Luce. I'll make sure that we carry your fight all the way to the victory circle!" She smiled back at him, touched by his words, and the thought that he regarded her efforts so highly.

"They'll be announcing the lineup for the rest of the day soon, so those of you that I've called on, be sure to make it back up to the arena by two," the elder mage told them before he turned around to walk out the door.

"We'll be there," Erza assured him before he left.

* * *

The first tag battle on day four of the Grand Magic Games was… strange, to say the least. Not only did things get downright weird when the Blue Pegasus blue rabbit was revealed as Ichiya's exceed/Edolas counterpart, Bacchus wound up being no match for the suddenly powered-up Parfum Wizard. Considering the lengths that Kinana had gone to in order to beat him during her match, to see the pride of Quatro Kerberos fall with only a couple blows dealt was somewhat unnerving. Then again, seeing how he had spoken to Kinana, Gorun wasn't too sad to see the 'wine god' fall. He wasn't entirely certain that Erza would be able to fight if called upon after seeing double Ichiya, though.

The second battle pitted Millianna and Kagura of Mermaid Heel against Lyon and Yuka of Lamia Scale. Gorun had Lamia Scale pegged as the stronger team overall, but he was quick to notice that Kagura's power was not only overwhelming, she had a frighteningly good control over it. Had she not let her teammate waste time in the fight against the two experienced men, she could have finished the match before things really got rolling. However, it seemed that she was more or less content when the announcers called the match as a draw at the thirty-minute bell, though the same could not be said for Lyon, who looked disappointed in himself.

Not that many people in the stands noticed. They were all too busy wondering who was going to be in the final match for the tag battles. It was clear now that the event planners had saved what they thought would be the best for last. Tensions between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail would make for a fierce match, which the crowds would love. The only question was, which four wizards would be facing off against each other?

It didn't take long for the answer to arrive. "Now, for a match that I am personally looking forward to- as are many people in the crowd, I'm sure," Chapati began dramatically. "We have… Sting and Rogue, the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth!" The two slayers walked out to the deafening roars of the crowd, Sting waving his arms to their fans with a confident smile, while Rogue simply strode beside him, every movement measured and deliberate.

"Versus… Natsu Dragneel and Son Gorun of Fairy Tail!" The crowd went even crazier than before. Natsu had won the hearts of many in the crowd with his valiant efforts on day two, and Gorun had earned the respect of many others because of the power and skill he had displayed on the first day in his fight against Jura, and again in the Magic Power Finder game. This was sure to be a fast-paced, unparalleled display of strength, agility, and skill.

The pair walked out, each of them dressed in their own clothing of choice. Natsu wore his usual one-sleeve waistcoat and scarf, while Gorun wore his blue-and-green gi from the first day, though with a new addition to it- a pair of heavy, stylized gauntlets that matched the color theme of his martial arts uniform. Each one of them also wore a gold-trimmed ring on their pointer finger, Natsu's nestled on his left hand, while Gorun's rested on his right. Neither piece looked special, but neither of them usually wore jewelry, either.

"Remember the plan?" Gorun muttered in an undertone as he kept his eyes locked on the red irises in Rogue's eyes.

"Yeah," Natsu grinned as he engaged in a similar staring contest with Sting. "Normally I'd think this kind of crazy plan would be something only Happy could come up with. But if it works…"

"It will," Gorun assured him as they came to stand ten paces away from their opponents. "Let's show them what Fairy Tail can really do."

"Hehe…" Natsu grinned, cracking his knuckles. "I'm all fired up."

"What're you two idiots talking about?" Sting remarked. "Trying to come up with some last-minute plan to try and win? Please."

"Come again?" Gorun demanded.

"You may be strong by the standards of other wizards," Rogue replied flatly. "But compared to a dragon, you might as well be an insect for us to squash. There is nothing in this world that can match their power, save for a true Dragon Slayer."

"And all I see in front of me is a guy with some flashy tricks, and an old-gen fire wizard that couldn't even slay a real live dragon," Sting smirked. "So this shouldn't take more than five minutes."

"Five minutes, huh?" Gorun replied grimly. "We were gonna be generous and give you ten minutes, but now it seems like we're on a tight schedule, eh Natsu?"

"Just say when," the Salamander smirked toothily.

"When," Gorun replied, noticing that the bell was about to sound.

Both of them squared themselves up so that they were lined only a few steps apart. Gorun stretched out his arms to his right, his hands flat like blades. Natsu did the same, only his hands were pointed to his left. " _Fu_ …" they said slowly, in unison as they began to move towards one another side-on, their arms describing a pair of large circles.

"Wha-?" Sting wondered aloud, not understanding what he was seeing.

The pair of comrades were now only two paces away from each other, their fingers almost touching. Then they returned their hands to their original positions so that they faced away from each other while bringing their outer knee up to point towards each other's. Balanced on a single leg each, they growled, " _sion…_ "

"Fusion?" Rogue repeated, just as confused as his comrade. Was this some kind of unison raid they were trying to get ready in time for the bell to sound?

" _Ha!_ " The Fairy Tail pair bellowed, bringing their feet down flat on the sand once again. As they did so, they leaned their upper bodies towards each other, side on until their pointer fingers touched, keeping the rest of their fingers closed tight now.

A blinding light shone from where the pair stood, even as the bell sounded and the match was declared officially begun- just as Gorun had planned. Sting and Rogue recoiled, unsure of what to do- neither one of them had seen anything like this before, and had no idea of what to expect from this strange technique. What were the two fairies up to?

Again, answers were not long in coming.

" _All right!_ " shouted a voice from within the luminance. Those that heard it were instantly confused further- it sounded like a pair of voices, perfectly intermingled and in perfect sync, yet coming from a single source.

That source leaped forward, a huge grin on his face as the light faded behind him. It was a solitary figure, dressed in loose, flowing white pants with dark blue shoes and green bindings to hold the bottoms of the pants in place. At his waist was a blue sash that somehow looked reminiscent of a set of dragon's scales. On top was an open black vest trimmed with dark blue that left his well-defined abs exposed, as well as a good deal of his thick pectoral muscles. On his right bicep was a Fairy Tail Emblem, colored in a rich green with a fierce red outline.

However, what really caught the startled dragon slayer's attention was the young man's face. The eyes were dark gray, not quite black, and the grin he was wearing showed off some sharp canines. Strangest was the hair- long and a little spiky, colored black save for the pink highlights streaked here and there through the mess atop his head.

" _What's the matter?_ " he taunted them. " _I'd have thought that you would feel more comfortable with odds of two on one._ "

"Wh-What the hell is this?" Sting demanded shakily. Something about that voice was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. "Where are Natsu and that other guy?"

" _Hehe… Guess that light must've blinded you worse than I thought it would,_ " the young man laughed. " _Natsu and Gorun are right here. Right in front of you. I am of them, they are me. But since I'm technically someone else, I guess I'll have to have a name of my own… how about Narun?_ " All around, they could hear the crowd reacting in shock at this new development, some of them even wondering if it was against the rules for this kind of technique to be used.

"Can they even do that?!" Rogue demanded, looking up to the judge's box, at a loss for what to do.

"I think they can… right?" Chapati asked his co-host.

"Well, they're technically two wizards using their own skill set to perform this technique without any outside assistance, so I suppose it is legal," Yajima replied after an uncertain moment. "I didn't read anything in the rules about combining people in the middle of a match, so that's my take on this."

"Well folks, I guess that's our answer," Chapati shrugged. "I suppose the fight can proceed as normal, then."

" _All right, they gave us the go-ahead_ ," the newly named Narun smirked. " _Now come on, 'True Dragon Slayers'. Let's see that power you're so proud of_."

* * *

 _Ten minutes earlier…_

"You wanna do what now?" Natsu asked as he stared at the gold-trimmed ring that Gorun had handed to him moments ago. "Sorry, but this is all goin' over my head."

"Okay, you're familiar with unison raids, right?" Gorun sighed as he slipped his ring onto his right pointer finger. "Like the magic fusion we did at Sabertooth's hotel the other night?" The two of them were in the entrance tunnel that led to the arena, waiting for their names to be called.

"Oh yeah," Natsu grinned. "That was awesome!"

"Okay, similar idea, but instead of two spells combining to form a stronger one, think of it as combining two people into a single fighter," Gorun told him. "One that'll be way stronger than either of us, even if we work together."

"Okay, us getting stronger, I like that part," Natsu said toothily. "What I'm still confused on is why we have to dance…?"

"It's the best way to get our magic energy flowing in the way that we need to direct it in order to make the fusion work," Gorun explained as patiently as he could. He had already showed Natsu the steps to the fusion dance, though the dragon slayer had a hard time believing that it was really going to do what his friend said it would. "Look, are you willing to give this a shot or not? If not, I'll just take the ring back now."

Natsu's face darkened slightly as he looked down at the ring in his palm. "We do this, and we can crush Sabertooth for sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, no doubt," Gorun nodded confidently. "And if this works as well as I hope it does, maybe someday we can have a match with Laxus or Erza and beat 'em then."

"Nah," Natsu grinned confidently as he slipped the ring on the finger Gorun had told him to use. "I'll beat them on my own- and I'm pretty sure I could take on those lame wads from Sabertooth on my own, too. But after everything that their guild has done to our friends…"

"Not taking any chances?" Gorun smirked, and Natsu answered in kind with a fierce chuckle.

"Yeah," the Salamander answered. Then he frowned down at the ring he was wearing, and grumbled, "But do we have to wear these things? Rings ain't my style."

"Well, we could chance performing the fusion without them, but then we run the risk of turning into some kind of hideous blob or skeletal freak with basically no power at all," Gorun shrugged.

He didn't mention that a successful Metamoran Fusion performed without the rings that Bulma had invented would produce a much stronger version of the fighter that they would hopefully create here in the next few minutes. It was just too risky, seeing as this would be Natsu's first attempt at even trying fusion- they couldn't risk it going wrong on the off-chance that it _could_ work. Not to mention that they wouldn't have to worry about the combination timing out like they would with a natural fusion. In addition, the newest metamo-rings even granted Metamoran-styled clothing.

They were the last things that he had taken from the Elder Kai before coming to Fiore. They weren't as powerful as potara earrings, but they were still valuable tools in the right hands.

"Got it, no rings make for a bad combo," Natsu muttered. Gorun almost went to correct him, then decided against it. He'd explain the intricacies of the various kinds of fusion to the pink-haired wizard some other time, when they weren't in more or less of a rush.

"Hey, you guys," said a familiar voice, causing the two wizards to turn and smile at a small group of figures approaching them.

"Yo, Happy and Lucy!" Natsu smiled at his best friend, and waved to the three girls following him. "Hey there, Kinana and Yuki… uh…?"

Gorun shot his friend an annoyed glance and asked, "Did you seriously forget her name?!"

"Yuki-bro?" he offered lamely, causing Kinana and Lucy to laugh, and Yukino to look supremely confused.

"Yukino, how's it going?" Gorun asked the girl with a sigh.

"Um, I'm all right," the girl said softly. "I just came down to wish you good luck… and to warn you."

"Warn us?" Natsu asked with a frown.

"Yes," the silver-haired girl said somberly. "Sting and Rogue are, without a doubt the strongest team in Sabertooth. Lady Minerva may be the strongest individual, but those two have power and coordination like you've never seen. Please, please be careful while you fight them. They may want revenge for you attacking the hotel, and I don't want to see a repeat of what happened to Lucy…" She shuddered at the thought.

Gorun smiled kindly at her and said, "Thanks for the heads-up, Yukino. But I think Natsu and I will be all right. This isn't his first fight against dragon slayers… Or mine, now that I think about it." He remembered his match with Natsu shortly after the Salamander had accidentally discovered his alien origins.

"All the same, be careful," the girl urged.

Kinana put a hand on their new friend's shoulder with a smile and said, "I told you he'd say that. And besides, I believe in him. He won't let us down." She turned her smile onto Gorun, and he returned the expression before moving in to seize her in a tight hug. Off to the side, the Saiyan was aware that Lucy and Happy were talking to Natsu in lowered tones, so he did his best not to eavesdrop with his sensitive ears.

"Thanks," he said quietly into Kinana's hair. "For standing beside me all this time. I'm gonna make it up to you."

"Go get 'em," she told him. "Yukino and I will be cheering for our team leader."

"Speaking of teams…" he said as he pulled away, albeit reluctantly. "I dunno what our name should be."

"I haven't figured that out, either, but since we're going to become an official group when we make it back to Magnolia, I figured that we should all have something in common with one another," Kinana grinned. She looked over at Yukino, who held up her right hand, where a white Fairy Tail emblem with a silver outline was now present.

"Yours' is on your right forearm, mine is on the right shoulder…" Kinana giggled. "Maybe it's kinda silly, but I figured a theme of some sort would be nice."

"I like it," Gorun beamed at her. Fixing his smile on his newest guild mate, he said, "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Yukino. We're glad to have you with us."

"I'm glad to be a part of it," she answered with the ghost of a smile.

Gorun opened his mouth to say more, but just then they heard Chapati announcing Sabertooth's team. That meant they would be next, sometime in the next few seconds. "Showtime," he muttered. Giving Kinana one last hug, he then turned and walked away with Natsu, both of them holding up the sign of Fairy Tail's eternal promise over their heads.

* * *

 _Back at the Present…_

Narun shot forward without any further preempt, punching Sting in the face and sending him recoiling from the impact. A spinning back kick caught Rogue in the stomach, and with more force behind the blow, he went flying.

"Rrrgh…" Sting grunted, but he was not going down from something like that. " _White Dragon… ROAR!_ " White energy spewed from his mouth, narrowly missing Narun, who swerved with inhuman nimbleness to dodge the spell.

" _A laser, huh?_ " the fused fighter mused to himself. Then he was leaping high to avoid the blast as Sting swung his head to try and strike them with it. " _Guess I better respond!_ " He cupped his hands by his ribcage, blue light shining almost immediately as he prepared to counterattack.

" _Shadow Dragon SLASH!_ " The next attack came from below as Rogue leaped at them, his right hand wrapped in shadows.

Narun weighed his options briefly in the second before Rogue struck. Just as the young man came within striking distance, Narun dropped the attack and placed his right hand's forefingers against his forehead. Then he was gone, teleporting out of the way of Rogue's spell.

The Shadow Dragon Slayer only had a half-second to wonder where his opponent had gone, when he was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and thrown towards his teammate at high speed.

Narun grinned as he engaged instant transmission again, even before the two arrogant slayers collided with each other. In less than a second, he was running at them from behind, flames licking his fingers as he brought them up, then down again in a wide, swiping motion. " _Fire Dragon WING ATTACK!_ " he bellowed, blasting his opponents away with Natsu's fire.

* * *

Everyone in the guild was staring at Kinana with wide eyes, making the girl turn red with embarrassment. "I didn't know he could do that!" she exclaimed.

"He never mentioned it, not once?" Makarov asked with a bit of disbelief in his voice. "You know nothing about this kind of unison raid?"

"N-Not a whole lot," she admitted. "He said that some of his ancestors way back when were able to use this technique, but he's never shown it to me before. Like I said, I didn't even know that he _could_ do that."

"Well, what exactly does such a transformation do?" Mavis inquired curiously. Ever a seeker of knowledge, she found this new turn of events to be incredibly fascinating.

Kinana hesitated, trying to deduce how much she could say without giving Gorun's origins away. Then she answered, "It's supposed to combine and multiply their strength several times over… And this new guy should be able to use any of Natsu's magic in addition to Gorun's attacks."

"That's crazy!" Happy exclaimed. "Natsu's way destructive when he fights, and now he's got Gorun's powers, too?!"

"Are we sure there'll be a stadium left when this fight is over?" Mirajane wondered, concerned.

"If that guy has Salamander's brains with Gorun's power, I'd seriously doubt it," Gajeel muttered. He was still a little sore that he hadn't been put on the new team, but even he couldn't take his eyes off this strange and exciting new development.

"That's the other thing about this technique…" Kinana said, suddenly remembering one last important bit. "The fusion doesn't mix their personalities- it creates an entirely new one."

* * *

Narun's running carried him past the two smoking wizards, both of whom were getting painfully to their feet. " _Don't tell me that's all you've got,_ " he sneered at them. " _I don't think I can bring myself to believe that a pair of this world's most powerful beings were brought down by the hands of two wizards such as yourselves. Tell me honestly now, did you really defeat dragons with that measly power?_ "

"Urgh…" Rogue growled. "Don't count us down yet. We're barely getting started."

"He's right," Sting added. "Maybe we didn't expect you to be _this_ strong… but we've only been warming up. Besides, we didn't just _defeat_ those guys… We _killed_ our dragons, with our bare hands."

" _Pretty trashy way to repay the ones that raised you,_ " Narun growled. " _With friends like you, who needs enemies?_ "

"That's none of your business," Sting snapped. "But if you really wanna see our dragon-slaying power, I'd be more than happy to show it to you." Standing up straight, he said in a commanding voice, "White Drive." Immediately, he was enveloped in a glowing white aura, and Narun could feel his power level rising rapidly.

"Shadow Drive," Rogue echoed, a dark, wispy aura surrounding him, and causing a similar effect to his magic power.

" _Now that's more like it,_ " Narun said as he assumed a ready stance. Up until now, he'd been at ease, not even taking a proper fighting position. Apparently the Twin Dragons were now posing enough of a threat to put him on his guard. " _Bring it on!_ "

"You'll regret that," Rogue snapped, just before he transformed into a shadow and vanished into the sand.

" _That's new,_ " Narun muttered.

"So's this!" Sting laughed as he leaped forward at blinding speed. He threw six punches in the time it takes to blink, sending Narun reeling from the impact. He paused for a brief second to taunt him, shouting, "How do you like my _Holy White Judgement_?!" Then it was a slugfest, with Sting and Rogue attacking from every direction- front, back, above and below. Sting's agility was so enhanced that even wizards like Erza and Laxus were having a hard time keeping up, and Rogue's ability to become incorporeal made it hard for one to tell where he was going to attack from next, much less retaliate.

* * *

"This is insane!" Lucy exclaimed as they watched the fight from above. "I thought that this Narun guy would be way stronger than this!"

"So did I," Kinana muttered with a frown. "I was under the impression that fusion increased two people's powers far beyond what they could achieve simply by working together as individuals."

"Gorun…" Yukino whispered as she clung to the railing of the seating area. Seeing this fused fighter being pummeled so soon after witnessing the brutality of Minerva was getting to her. "Please be safe…"

* * *

"Beating the crap out of my idol is pretty friggin' sweet!" Sting laughed. "Even if you are some weird half-and-half, I'm sure Natsu can feel all of this!" Taking a more solid stance, he wound up his right fist for a second as he added, "All I've ever wanted was to show the world that I'm better than you- and today…" He threw the punch, his fist infused with an even brighter light than before. "…it's finally happening!"

" _Augh_!" Narun cried out as he was struck, sliding in the sand for several meters while Sting just watched, a knowing smirk on his face. The hybrid fighter went to strike the smug look off his face, then found that he was unable to even move his legs to walk. " _Hey!_ " he demanded, noticing some kind of residual light on his abdomen. " _What the hell is this?!_ "

"My White Dragon Talon is infused with holy magic," Sting bragged. "Once you're branded with the stigmata, you're paralyzed. Which leads to the really fun part…" Both of his fists shone with brilliant light again as Rogue reappeared behind the Saiyan/Dragon Slayer hybrid. "You're our new punching bag!"

" _Hell no!_ " Narun shouted. There was a burst of heat, then Sting found himself being slugged in the face, grabbed, and then hurled at his companion for the second time that day.

Aiming a palm at the pair, Narun shouted, " _Big Bang Attack!_ " The blue sphere was launched immediately, and the resulting explosion hid the two dragon slayers from view for a moment.

When the dust settled, Sting and Rogue emerged, looking more angry than injured. "What just happened?!" Sting demanded, confused and furious. "You shouldn't be able to move!"

" _Hehe…_ " Narun grinned as he patted his lean abdomen, which they could now see was glowing with heat comparable to a forge. " _Not a bad trick you've got there. But you'll have to do better to pull one over on me._ "

Sting's jaw dropped in shock. _He burned off the stigmata?!_ He thought, feeling a mix of surprise and new respect for his childhood idol rushing through him.

Rogue was not so positively inclined to the merged fighter. Letting out a raging shout, he vanished and reappeared behind Narun, aiming to bash in his skull with a Shadow Dragon's Crushing Fang.

Narun's hand shot out and grabbed Rogue's wrist without so much as a glance in his direction. " _Gotcha,_ " the fusion grinned evilly. The shadow mage couldn't help but let out a small gasp of surprise as he was caught- this had never happened to him before. Narun wasn't finished with him, either.

" _I seem to recall you saying something about Natsu and Gorun being nothing more than insects for you to squash,_ " he sneered. " _I guess we'll chalk up what's about to happen as a case of a nasty bug bite, then._ " He slammed Rogue into the sand hard enough to make the other wizard lose his shadow aura entirely, then threw him at Sting.

Sting, however, had an idea of what was coming, so he dodged the flying body of his comrade, though even with his enhanced speed, he barely managed to avoid the impact. Then he found himself flying after his companion, courtesy of a brutally powerful kick to his stomach that nearly made him vomit once he hit the dirt.

" _You shoulda let me hit you with him,_ " Narun chuckled as he lowered the leg he had used to deliver the kick. " _Then again, I can't let myself become too predictable, can I?_ " Both third-generation dragon slayers merely groaned in response. Narun affected to smile again as he said, " _You're right. I should try to vary things a little more… So how about this?_ "

He held out both hands in front of him, palms facing skyward as he shouted, " _Twin Fire Stars!_ " Twin fiery orbs, each one comparable in size to a Brilliant Flame spell, or a Big Bang Attack, sprang from his palms and began to fly around him in an erratic, rapid orbit. Seeing that his experiment had been successful, Narun laughed and said, " _Hey, look! I've got one for each of you!_ "

He stretched his hands back behind his head before miming a throw with both arms simultaneously, sending both of the orbs arcing towards the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth at high velocity. Both of them retaliated with short, precise breath attacks that pierced the orbs just a few feet away.

Still, a few feet away wasn't enough when both orbs detonated with overwhelming force, sending the two dragon slayers rolling away in the sand yet again, and partially blinding Rogue in the process. Sting, whose eyes were used to much brighter flashes of light, recovered first.

"Well, looks like you're one tough customer," he smirked as he assumed a wide horse stance. His aura intensified as he added, "Looks like I'll have to give it more than I thought." Rogue, sensing what was to come, vanished into his shadow form, retreating hastily from his comrade's light.

" _What's this?_ " Narun taunted the blond man. " _Are you finally getting serious?_ "

"Yeah, and you'll be regretting it in a second," Sting answered in kind. "When I decide to go all-out, there's no way fire and whatever the hell else you are can stop me." The light from his aura was now being magnified by the natural light that was seemingly drawn to Sting like a magnet, growing fiercer and brighter with every passing second.

* * *

"What's happening down there?!" Lucy yelled to be heard above the crowd, many of whom were shouting in confusion. "I can't see a thing!"

"That's one of Sting's strongest spells!" Yukino exclaimed, shielding her eyes from the glare as she answered. "A Secret Art!"

"It feels like he's gathering all of his magic into one spot!" Kinana added, trying to sense with her magic what her eyes could not tell her.

* * *

"Here comes, Natsu!" Sting yelled with a bright grin. " _Dragon Slayer Secret Art… Holy… NOVA!_ " The light suddenly winked out as Sting shot forward at the speed of a magic bullet, the light congealed around his hand.

" _More like Holy No!_ " Narun laughed just before Sting made contact. An explosion rocked the stadium, a mix of flames and white energy giving off enough light to rival the glare of the sun and forcing everyone to cover their faces to avoid getting blinded. It took some time, but eventually the dust and light settled enough for the crowd to see the result- and it shocked most of them. The two fighters' fists were mashed against each other, a burn scored across Sting's knuckles as he looked at the offending limb in dumbfounded shock.

" _Nice try, but the next move is mine,_ " Narun chuckled. Kicking out flat-footed at his opponent, he raised his hands above his head and shouted, " _Masenko!_ " The yellow laser smote Sting in the back as he was beaten back, sending him sprawling in the dirt at the feet of his enemy once again.

"That's it…" Sting growled as he got to his feet. Rogue had moved to join him, seeing that his ally's attack had been ineffective. "No more games. I have a promise to keep- and I intend to fulfill it!" The air around him began to shudder, and Narun noticed a rise in his magic power that eclipsed his previous power-up technique ten times over. "I'm not gonna lose!"

There was a pulse of intangible force that erupted from Sting's body, lifting his hair up even straighter and spikier than it was before. Simultaneously, white markings akin to dragon scales appeared all over his body, though they only partially obscured his face. To his right, Rogue had undergone a similar transformation, save that his markings were black in color, and a shadowy aura had surrounded his body again, not unlike his Shadow Drive technique.

Narun recognized the ability immediately from the memories he possessed of Natsu. " _Dragon Force…_ " he mused out loud, raising his guard again. This time, however, it was noticeable that his fists were actively on fire in preparation for the coming fight.

* * *

Up above, many of the Fairy Tail members were feeling very uneasy about this new development. Makarov, in particular, was looking supremely worried. "The Dragon Force…" he muttered aloud, though it was in such a low voice that only Mavis heard it.

"This is definitely unexpected," the ancient girl said to her successor. "I had always been under the impression that Dragon Slayers required an external source of surplus energy to attain that state."

"Sting once mentioned something about Dragon Slayers getting stronger after killing a dragon," Yukino said, surprising both guild masters with her forthcoming. "Maybe the fact that they both achieved that is what allows them to enter the state at will."

"That may be part of it, but I think that there is another explanation," Freed mused, his chin in his hand as mulled over his thoughts. He must have not realized that he had spoken out loud until everyone was looking to him for a further explanation. Clearing his throat, he added, "I mean, I've seen Laxus enter this Dragon Force you're talking about, when he battled Natsu and Gajeel, yet I know for a fact that he's never slain a dragon. However, he and these Twin Dragons do share something in common."

"What's that?" Macao asked when the script mage paused for breath.

"They both have dragon-slaying lachrymas implanted in their bodies," Freed answered. "While these two from Sabertooth were trained by dragons like Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel, they also obtained lachrymas to augment their power. I believe that lachryma is acting a fuel source, if you will, for the Dragon Force."

"Well then, how long can they sustain that for?" Lucy asked, glancing worriedly at Narun, who had yet to make a move.

"I think it depends on how long they've had the lachrymas," Freed answered uncertainly. "The longer a lachryma is embedded in someone, the larger and more powerful it can grow, if placed correctly. But in this particular instance, I don't think it matters overmuch."

"Why's that?" Kinana asked this time.

"The fight will only last twenty or twenty-five more minutes," Freed replied grimly. "And that would be if it ended in a draw. Those two are not seeking to draw out this battle, but to end it quickly. And with such power at their disposal, I worry for Natsu and Gorun."

Yukino looked back down at the arena, worry written all over her face. Kinana saw it, and patted the other girl's shoulder while smiling at her. "I worry, too," the purple-haired wizard said. "But I also have faith that they're going to pull through and win this for us."

"Faith in which one?" Yukino asked, smiling nervously. Still, it was a smile, Kinana thought.

"I have faith in Gorun," she replied, her grin widening. "Lucy's the one to have faith in Natsu. So I guess we have a collective faith in this Narun guy, right Lucy?"

Lucy reddened a little bit at the question, but after a tense, awkward second, she returned the smile brightly and said, "Yeah, of course I have faith in Natsu! He's always pulled through before, and I have no doubt that he will again today."

* * *

Down below, Narun smiled to himself, his sensitive ears able to pick out the voices of his counterparts' closest friends. _They sure are lucky,_ he thought to himself just as Sting launched a hyper-fast attack that sent him flying through the air, towards the arena wall. Still, instead of appearing to be surprised or enraged, the fused fighter let out a coughing sort of laugh as he righted himself in midair and floated to a halt, courtesy of Gorun's ability to fly.

" _Now that's more like it!_ " he crowed. Sting and Rogue said nothing, though the former gave him a cold smile as they charged in together. Then it was a slugfest mixed with spell slinging that dotted the arena ground and walls with numerous holes. Unlike before, where it seemed to be a one-sided contest, Sting and Rogue were now actually gaining ground against Narun.

Somewhere in the middle of this ferocious battle, Narun was cut on the arm by one of Rogue's slashing attacks, right where his mixed-colored Fairy Tail emblem was located. His eyes flashed dangerously as he bellowed, " _Guild mark's off-limits, you shadow-slinking prick!_ " So saying, he grabbed Rogue by the leg with renewed effort and speed, catching the young man off-guard so fast that he didn't have time to turn into a shadow.

Narun roared angrily as he slammed the raven-haired youth into the dirt, once, twice, three times before smacking Sting away with his body, then punting him as hard as he could with a flame-covered foot that sent him sprawling beside his teammate.

"I'm gettin' real tired of this guy throwing us like pillows," Sting grumbled.

" _And I'm tired of your guild lording it over mine that you think you're better!_ " Narun spat, holding his hands at his side in a very familiar stance. Instead of blue light pooling between his cupped hands, though, a fiery orb began to form, growing swiftly in size until it was the size of a melon.

"We are better," Sting scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. In his ascended state, that impact had barely winded him- he just found it annoying that he and Rogue kept ending up full of sand during this fight.

Narun's left eye twitched before he roared, " _Then be better in hell!_ " The fireball flared brightly before he thrust it out in front of him and bellowed, " _Fire Dragon KAMEHAMEHA!_ " An orange magic circle, tinged with crystalline blue on the edges of it, appeared and spewed forth an even more intense version of the attack that Gorun and Natsu had launched against Jiemma only days prior. A fiery explosion rocked the entire stadium, swallowing up the twin dragons in the raging inferno.

When the fire dissipated, there was no sign of the two dragon slayers, much to the shock of the crowd, but Narun remained on guard. He could sense them somewhere nearby, but they were-

His head snapped up towards the sky just in time to see Sting open his maw and unleash a monstrous amount of light that slammed into him with devastating force- even more than the attack that he himself had just launched against the Twin Dragons. His attempt to block was taken out by Rogue, who appeared just long enough to kick his legs out from underneath him, robbing him of his concentration, and then vanishing back into a shadow that could escape the terrible damage about to be inflicted on Narun and the stadium.

This explosion didn't just rock the stadium- people all over Crocus could feel the hint of a rumbling in the ground as Sting's Holy Breath attack struck home. When the light was gone, the audience was shocked to see that he had bored several hundred feet down through what looked like a labyrinth that ran underneath the arena. Lachryma screens quickly popped up to show the three combatants falling down into the hole, Narun looking stunned and winded as he plunged down ahead of the pair, while Sting looked like he was having the time of his life. Rogue's face was a mask of calm and boredom as he hung back a bit, apparently content to let his comrade take the lead in this fight.

"You can't leave, cos we're not done yet!" Sting shouted as he tucked in his limbs and dove towards the fused fighter.

Narun composed himself and flashed a feral grin as he placed two fingers to his forehead and suddenly vanished, only to reappear behind Sting, bellowing, " _Fire Dragon IRON FIST!_ " He slugged Sting in the small of his back, where he knew it would hurt the most, and sent the White Dragon Slayer plummeting to the new floor of their arena even faster than before.

Then he fixed his eyes on Rogue and took a deep breath. " _Fire Dragon ROAR!_ " An inferno burst from his mouth, washing over Rogue and sending him flying into one of the buried floors that had been exposed by Sting's breath attack.

However, this left him open to an attack from below by Sting, who was already steady on his feet. Clasping his hands together at his side, he shouted, "The radiance of a white dragon purifies all! … _Holy RAY!_ " As Sting lifted his hands skyward, he unleashed countless piercing bolts of light that slammed into Narun, bruising him and scoring many scores of shallow cuts on his body. He shouted in pain and surprise-it was the most effective hit that either Dragon Slayers had gotten in since the fight began. There were simply too many blasts coming in for him to dodge them all, and they came in too fast for him to focus on getting out with instant transmission.

The impacts didn't let up until Narun had crashed into the ground, aching and bleeding. " _Ow,_ " he muttered, glaring at Sting, who smirked again before launching himself at his opponent, fist glowing white. The Saiyan/Slayer hybrid got to his feet and met the blow with one of his own, growling, " _Remember what happened the last time we did this?!_ " He was referring to the burn on Sting's hand from where he had tried to use a Secret Art on Narun, and subsequently failed miserably.

"Last time was more to see how strong you really were," Sting snorted. "Now I'm serious." Brilliant white light erupted from his arm like a volcano, pushing him forward, driving Narun back.

At least, that's what was supposed to be happening- but Narun wasn't moving at all. In fact, Sting's eyes widened as Narun began to push _him_ backwards, step by step, without even a trace of magic power coming from his body. " _So this is you being serious, huh?_ " Narun scoffed. " _I expected more from a 'True Dragon Slayer'. Seems you're all bark and no bite._ "

"Rrrgh!" Sting gritted his teeth and redoubled his effort to push back Narun, managing to get them into another deadlock after a moment. "This _is_ the power of a True Dragon Slayer!" he shouted above the noise of his magic. "I would know- it's how I killed Weisslogia!"

" _Is that right?_ " Narun smirked. " _Then how's about I show you the power_ …" His body was suddenly cocooned in a mix of flames and raw energy as he said, " _That Natsu and Gorun use to fight for their friends that you laughed at!_ " An image popped into the combined fighter's mind- Lucy and Kinana, both smiling at him, encouraging him to win the battle. From within the fused being, Gorun and Natsu smiled back, ready to put Sabertooth where they belonged.

An explosive force broke through Sting's assault, followed by a thunderous impact that sent him flying back to crash into the ruined remains of a pillar. Narun paused to admire his handiwork for a second before he turned his attention to another problem.

" _Shadow Dragon ROAR!_ " Rogue bellowed, a cyclone of darkness shooting forward to swallow Narun whole.

" _Tyrant Lance!_ " Narun shouted in retaliation, leaping forward and thrusting a single fist forward, which emitted a short blue beam that pierced down the middle of the breath attack, nullifying it, and sending Rogue stumbling backwards when it struck him. Narun followed that up with a Fire Dragon Talon that put him firmly in the dirt.

His sensitive ears picked up on movement behind him, so he turned to face an enraged Sting, who was screaming, "I'm not done with you!"

" _Bring it,_ " Narun smirked.

* * *

"You can definitely tell that Natsu's in there somewhere," Gray chuckled as he watched the spectacle of the Twin Dragons being pummeled by Narun from the competitor's seating area. "Only that pink-haired idiot would be smiling in a time like this."

"I think that could be Gorun smiling just as easily," Erza smiled alongside him. "An epic battle like this right up his alley."

"I dunno how 'epic' you can call it when he's just toying with the two of them," Laxus muttered, though he was wearing the faintest hint of a grin.

* * *

"So he was lowering his power level the whole time," Kinana laughed softly. "I knew I shouldn't have worried about him."

"So he's been… toying with Sting and Rogue?" Yukino gaped, her eyes the size of dinner plates. Never had she expected the Twin Dragons to be so outclassed. "Just how strong is this Narun guy?"

"It's Natsu and Gorun put together, I'll bet that they're even stronger than Gildarts!" Romeo laughed, ecstatic.

"Normally I'd say you're crazy, boy," Makarov said with a wondering shake of his head. "But after seeing Gorun go up against Jura, I just might believe it."

Sting and Rogue were, panting, exhausted and covered in bruises from head to toe. Narun was standing about twenty feet away, arms folded, looking pretty banged up himself, but still smiling at the two of them. " _Come_ on _, already,_ " he taunted. " _I'm getting bored doing all the attacking here- try to at least come up with something to make me dodge, you know?_ "

Rogue glared at their enemy with undisguised hatred and settled into a crouch, extending his right arm back in a fist as he bellowed, " _Now_ Sting!" Black energy erupted from his hand, swelling rapidly as Rogue strove to pour every ounce of magic power into this new attack.

"YEAH!" Sting cried, mirroring his comrades' actions, a white orb that glowed with the brilliance of the sun erupting into existence behind him as he stood abreast to Rogue.

Narun raised an eyebrow as he watched the two Dragon Slayers curiously, wondering what they were up to now. However, he made to movement to defend himself, instead going so far as to lower his arms to his sides, leaving himself completely unguarded. He knew that he had reached the endgame now. The two slayers were battered, their pride smashed by him and his refusal to go down and his undisguised contempt of them and the guild that they stood for. These, he sensed, were the strongest spells that they could possibly throw at him.

Inwardly, he smiled. _This is for Fairy Tail,_ he said silently.

All the while, the simultaneous attacks of Sting and Rogue continued to grow larger and more dangerous with each passing second, until at last, the magic they had summoned appeared to disappear into thin air. For a moment, there was total silence in the arena as the audience held their breaths, wondering what was going on.

Then, between the hands of Sting and Rogue appeared a small ball of darkness that shone like a faraway star- a fusion of shadow and light. _A unison raid,_ Narun realized.

" _Holy Shadow Dragon FLASH FANG!_ " the Twin Dragon Slayers roared, directing all of their power, frustration, and hatred at the Fairy Tail wizard that had dared to defy them. They thrust their hands forward, sending the ball out in front of them before it exploded outwards, rushing towards Narun like a tidal wave of deadly magic power.

* * *

Up above, the guild was in more or less of a panic. "He's not moving!" Pantherlily exclaimed. "Does he think he can just block it?!"

"C'mon Natsu, fight back!" Romeo cried. As others in the guild shouted encouragement to the combined warrior, Lucy, Happy, Yukino, and Kinana held their breaths, praying that their friend knew what he was doing…

* * *

 _Before the fight…_

Natsu grinned at Lucy and Happy while Gorun moved to speak in private with his teammates. "So what's up?" he asked. "Here to wish me luck?"

"Nope," Lucy chirped. "You don't need it."

"Aye sir!" Happy agreed with a huge grin.

"Well, thanks!" the pinkette replied, his smile brightening. "If that's all, I guess I should head on out."

"Wait, Natsu," Lucy said, grasping his hand before he could turn to walk away. "There is one thing I needed to tell you before you go out there."

"Yeah?" he asked as he turned back to face her.

Lucy smiled warmly at her best friend as she said, "I believe in you. And I always have, from the moment I joined the guild."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then his smile returned, bigger than ever. "Thanks!" he said happily. "That means a lot to me, Lucy." The girl favored him with another smile before squeezing his hand and letting go.

Natsu turned to face Happy, who had surprisingly kept his mouth shut while Lucy had said her piece. His expression was unusually somber, and for a moment, Natsu feared that something was troubling his buddy. "Something wrong, pal?" he asked the blue exceed.

"No, nothing's wrong," Happy replied.

"Oh, okay," Natsu grinned as he turned to walk away, hearing his name being called by the announcers. "Later, guys!"

"Hold on!" Happy called, making Natsu pause where he stood. "I don't need to say anything, do I?" He hesitated, then added, "Know what I mean?"

"Yeah…" Natsu answered as he looked over his shoulder, his expression matching Happy's. "I hear ya… partner." Then he was heading out, the Fairy Tail salute held high above his head. Behind him, Happy and the three girls were holding up the same sign.

* * *

 _Back at the Present…_

" _Holy Shadow Dragon FLASH FANG!_ "

Narun watched the oncoming storm until it was halfway towards him before he made his move. Holding his hands out in front of him as if to brace himself for the oncoming attack, he let his power surge and flow freely for the first time since the fusion had occurred. A ball of fire the size of a Big Bang Attack appeared before his outstretched hands, burning hot enough that the stone around Narun began to soften and melt.

Just before the Flash Fang spell could overwhelm him, he bellowed, " _Brilliant Flame KAMEHAMEHA!_ " The ball of fire erupted in a similar fashion to Sting and Rogue's attack, except that it was far, far more powerful than their unison raid. It swept aside their attack like a stiff breeze before a hurricane, then continued on to engulf them in a raging inferno of dragon fire and etherion.

Just before the attack struck them, Sting and Rogue could have sworn that they saw a flash of golden hair and scales. Then there was nothing but heat, pain, and then darkness.

* * *

The explosion was so intense, it shook the coliseum to its foundations. People all over Crocus could feel the violent tremors rumbling through the ground. The lachryma screens were overwhelmed by the energy spikes to the point where they completely cut out for a few seconds.

"Whoa, momma!" Chapati exclaimed as everyone in the stands tensed nervously. The attacks had happened so quickly that they had missed the final outcome of the battle, and now everyone wanted to know- who was left standing after such a ferocious explosion. "I have never in my life seen something like this! The lachryma screens are down for the moment, but should be back up soon!"

As if on cue, the giant screens flared back to life, but at first all they would show was smoke and dust- nothing of the competitors could be seen. Then, at long last, debris cleared enough to see the competitors- two of them lying on the ground, the remnants of their clothing smoking and their exposed skin covered in burns.

Narun stood tall, proudly holding his thumb and forefinger above his head as the undeniable victor of the battle. A great, ringing laugh came from his throat as he raised both fists to the sky while the bell sounded and the judges proclaimed him the winner. " _And with that, we've reached the top!_ " he crowed as he flew up and out of the hole.

The crowd was going ballistic, some with outrage over Sabertooth's loss, but most of the spectators were cheering the fused fighter on, congratulating him on his victory. Smiling, Narun gave them all a wave of acknowledgement before floating down to land among his guild mates.

As soon as he touched down on the stone, he pulled off the ring from his finger, and a bright glow hid him from view. When it faded away, there stood Natsu and Gorun, both smiling hugely at their friends.

"That was totally awesome!" Natsu laughed. "We gotta do it again sometime!"

"I agree," Gorun laughed as he clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "But you know what's even more awesome?" He asked the question as he gestured at the scoreboard with his thumb.

Final Score of the Grand Magic Games Day 4

 _Fairy Tail: 45 pts._

 _Sabertooth: 44 pts._

 _Mermaid Heel: 40 pts._

 _Lamia Scale: 35 pts._

 _Blue Pegasus: 30 pts._

 _Quatro Kerberos: 15 pts._

"We're number one again!" Lucy cheered as she gave Natsu a big hug. "You guys did it!"

"We're not quite there yet," Gorun started to say, but he was cut off by Kinana grabbing him firmly by the head and kissing him silent, not caring that several of the guild members were telling them off.

When she pulled back, she grinned through her reddened face and said, "Let's just enjoy this win. You and Natsu did great today- I'm really proud of you."

"I must agree," Makarov said with a large smile directed at the two young men. As they disengaged from their hugs, the guild master added, "We're one step closer to winning this thing, thanks to you two. Tomorrow's a day of rest, then we're taking home the thirty million jewel!"

" _That's not why we're here_!" most of the guild shouted at the old man, exasperated.

Gorun ignored the old man, instead waving over to Yukino, who as usual, was hanging back from the main group, still feeling a little out of place. Slowly, the girl crossed over to where Gorun and Kinana were standing, a small smile on her lips as she looked at Natsu and the Saiyan youth with new respect. "That was amazing," she said. "I never thought… Sting and Rogue are…"

"They're just the first to go down under our fist," Gorun grinned a trifle darkly. "We'll show them what a real guild looks like- we take care of each other."

"For so long, I thought that they were right," she breathed. "Even after you stormed the guild… I thought for certain you'd lose to them. They've… They never lose."

"They did today," Kinana told her firmly. "Anyone that makes an enemy of Fairy Tail because of things like what happened to you will always lose out in the end."

"I…" Yukino held up her trembling hands to her mouth, overcome with emotion. "You really did it. Thank you." Kinana and the young man drew her into an embrace, smiling at her and each other as they did.

While several of the members continued to argue with Makarov, Mavis strolled up to the two victors with a large smile on her innocent face. "Congratulations on your victory," she told them. "I must admit that I am curious, though. How did you pull off that fusion thing? It felt similar to a unison raid, but then it didn't. What was that?"

Gorun smiled as he pulled away from his comrades, though he did keep an arm around Kinana while the first master eyed him curiously. "It's a technique that a few of my family members used back in the day," he said evasively. "Not many people can do it without help, which is why I had Natsu wearing that ring. Speaking of…" He turned to his partner and held out his hand, saying, "All right Natsu, give it back."

"But I wanna-"

"No."

"Fine… don't share," Natsu grumbled.

"Ooh, I didn't know you had proposed!" Happy giggled as Natsu handed the item in question back to his comrade so that he could pocket it. "I guess con-"

"One more word, and you'll be harder to find than Igneel," Gorun said threateningly to the blue exceed. Happy let out a yelp and dove behind Natsu for protection. Glaring at the tomcat, Gorun added, "I thought we discussed this the other night?"

"Aye sir," Happy nodded timidly, clearly afraid of another trip into the stratosphere.

"Good," Gorun smiled brightly. "Glad that's settled."

"Hey, no need to be fightin' right now!" Natsu laughed. "We're gonna be back on top in no time!"

"No fighting, huh?" Gorun said with a devilish smirk towards his girlfriend. Turning back to Natsu, he said, "Well, Gray thinks he coulda done it in half the time you did."

" _WHAT?!_ " Natsu screamed, immediately angry. "I'm gonna roast that ice princess!" So saying, he dashed off, leaving Lucy shaking her head at his antics.

"He's so easy," Gorun snickered.

"That was mean," Kinana said with a tone of reprimand in her voice. However, even she couldn't keep the grin off her face that was fighting to break through. Everyone's spirits were high, and it was time to celebrate!

* * *

"I'm starting to regret being the go-between guy," Gorun muttered as he gazed down at the figure in a black cloak that he and Jellal were tracking. A scan of their energy signature confirmed that this was the same person that had evaded Gorun on day three- they had that dark energy taint holding onto them like a parasite. However, now that he was closer to, something about their power seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

He was tracking the person from the rooftops while Jellal maintained a safe distance behind them on the ground. The time was nearly midnight. "I should be with my girlfriend right now, having a party with my guild."

" _You took an extra payment from Urtear, and this was the condition that you agreed to,_ " Jellal replied neutrally. " _What exactly did you two agree on anyway?_ "

"That's private," Gorun muttered. "And not what we need to be focusing on right now."

" _I'm not the one that was complaining_ ," Jellal chuckled. " _Though I do have to admit, it is refreshing to get to work with someone outside of our usual circle._ "

" _Hey!_ " Meredy exclaimed. " _What's that supposed to mean?!_ "

" _Nothing, Meredy,_ " Urtear scolded her adopted child. " _I actually agree with Jellal. Our line of work gives very little time to socialize. But right now is not the time for that- are you still on them?_ "

"Yeah," Gorun answered. "If they take a right up ahead, they'll end up backed against a balcony overlooking the sea, which would be the best place for us to set up an ambush."

" _We're not ambushing them_ ," Jellal argued.

"No, we're just following them to surprise them with a confrontation so we can find out their intentions," Gorun huffed. "Oh wait, that sounds like a textbook ambush to me. Also, they're turning right."

" _We can argue the semantics later,_ " Urtear interjected, cutting off any response that Jellal might make. " _Just don't let them get away!_ "

" _I know,_ " Jellal replied. " _Gorun, get into position._ "

"Moving in three…" Gorun murmured, placing his fingers against his forehead as the cloaked figure walked up a set of stairs that led to the balcony. "Two…" Jellal rounded the corner and began to jog up the stairs in pursuit. The figure paused, seeming to realize that they had taken a wrong turn or something of the sort.

"One." Gorun vanished from the rooftop, appearing on top of the balcony railing right in front of the cloaked figure, startling them into emitting a squawk of alarm. And now that he had heard their voice and could see some of their profile from the front, Gorun realized that they had mistook the person's gender- this was a woman.

"Hold it right there," he said in a stern, though not necessarily harsh, voice. "Take off the hood. I want to see your face."

The figure hesitated, backing away from Gorun, only to run into Jellal, who had removed his face disguise. "Reveal your identity," he commanded. "I've already revealed mine."

The woman slumped, a heavy sigh escaping her as she reached up to pull back her dark hood. When she did, Jellal recoiled a step and Gorun nearly fell off the balcony in shock.

"No way…" Jellal whispered hoarsely.

"What the hell is going on?!" Gorun demanded, eyes wide as they gazed upon a blond young woman, tears running down her face as she looked pitifully at the two of them.

"Please…" Lucy Heartfelia begged. "I need your help."

* * *

 **Saiki: I suppose one might chalk up what happened to you as a case of textbook karma.**

 **Mataras: I have done literally nothing wrong.**

 **Saiki: You kidnap me here, your apartment floods. Sometimes even psychics can let Mother Nature get even for us.**

 **Mataras: I can still take back all the coffee jellies we agreed on.**

 **Saiki: What a pain... Fine, I'll play along.**

 **Mataras: Top man.**

 **Saiki: Care to explain those Metamo-Rings?**

 **Mataras: They're an item that originates in the video game, Dragon Ball Fusions, but I decided to make them a part of this storyline since it seems like something Bulma would eventually introduce to the Time Patrol if it were an actual series instead of two separate games.**

 **Saiki: Did you stick to the rules of the game when you used those in your story?**

 **Mataras: As far as I know, the only change I made was that the fusion ends up with Metamoran clothing, unlike in the game, where the result is more of a Potara clothes-mix. I did, however, make the sash out of Natsu's scarf, though I did change it to blue.**

 **Saiki: Ah. And the artwork?**

 **Mataras: Done by my wife and myself. I'm only leaving up the image until December begins, after which it'll go back to the 'official' cover for this story. I might make an instagram so that people can still see it after the fact, as well as any other art projects I will be working on...**

 **Saiki: Are we done?**

 **Mataras: Almost, and that's one coffee jelly deducted from this month's salary.**

 **Saiki: ...**

 **Mataras: Since my apartment was flooded, I haven't been able to record for my Fire Sword Audio Series this week. I should be getting back to that this weekend, for anyone that is interested.**

 **Saiki: Finally, we're at the end of this segment.**

 **Mataras: Wanna try that again, or do I have to summon Nendo?**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- Time Patroller**

 **Mataras: Coming the first week of December! (Provided my apartment doesn't flood again)**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"So should Lucy not have come back to warn us?" Gajeel demanded roughly, surprising everyone. It was the first time they'd heard him refer to the blond girl by her name, but he ignored their stares in favor of glaring at Gorun. "And if you're so against messing with timelines, why the hell did you think it would be okay to come here, huh?"

"Gajeel, hold on," Wendy began, but Gorun held up a hand for her to be silent.

"Unfortunately, he's absolutely right," the boy said heavily. "The Time Patrol was founded by the Supreme Kai of Time after one of my ancestors changed something in the past and created an entirely new timeline as a result. That's why the organization exists- to prevent things like this. Whether because Lucy has come back, or because I came here, or a combination thereof, we are now living in a parallel timeline. The havoc that could cause to the space-time continuum is immeasurable."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Jellal queried as Gorun began to back away from them.

"I'm saying that I've made an awful mistake," the boy said quietly, his eyes falling away from theirs'. "I… don't belong here. I never did."


	12. Time Patroller

**A/N: Okay! I'm back in my own home, and feeling significantly better about my life now that I am. Sorry if I was a bit of a Scrooge last time, I was dealing with more than enough stress :P**

 **In any case, welcome back to Saiyan Tail! I'm so glad that the last chapter was so well-received, and that you all enjoyed the metamoran fusion I concocted with Natsu and Gorun. If you'll see though, I've taken down the image of Narun in favor of the one my wife so lovingly created for this story. HOWEVER! You're all in luck, because I have only just recently joined the world of instagram (why, oh why have I done this to myself?) so that you can all go and see that picture whenever you want, along with other pieces of artwork that my wife and I have worked on over the years.**

 **You can find me as the_red_swordsman on instagram. I don't have a lot up yet, but there is much more coming. If you follow me on this social media platform in particular, you may just become privy to some new character(s) and/or upcoming fusions that I have up my sleeve...**

 **And with that little teaser, I bid you a good read! Hope you're in the mood for some character development and a big deviation from the original fairy tail canon, cos that's what I got this time! Ass-kickery will mostly have to wait until Christmas (sorry). Please leave a review, I'm personally hoping that we can hit eighty for this story before we hit 2019!**

 **P.S. Me and the crew over at Not Your Average Productions may be working on an O.V.A. cartoon for this story... ;)**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 9_

 **Time Patroller**

A smile had found its way onto Kinana's face as she watched Yukino talking with Lucy and Wendy, glad to see her new friend and comrade getting along well with others in the guild, especially the other girls. It boded well for her joining Gorun's team and becoming an official Fairy Tail mage, her finding someone that she could converse with, other than Natsu and Gorun.

The purple-haired girl would be lying if she said that she hadn't felt concerned when her boyfriend raced off to avenge another girl, especially one as attractive and talented as Yukino. However, as he always was, Gorun had been a perfect gentleman in his approach to the celestial mage, according to Yukino when Kinana had quizzed her about his actions. Nothing he had done either in Kinana's presence or absence had led her to believe that he was anything but loyal and committed to their relationship. Especially if his reactions to Happy's insensitive teasing was anything to go by.

Yes, Kinana had plenty to smile about, she thought. Fairy Tail was nearly back on top, the Tenrou Team was back in action and better than ever, and she had the most wonderful boyfriend in the world- or any world, seeing as he was apparently from another planet and realm entirely.

She wondered if it was strange that it didn't bother her, him being an alien. Then, with another grin, she decided that it probably was strange, but she just didn't care. If you were in Fairy Tail, you had to have some quirk or another, and she could think of way worse ones to have.

These happy thoughts were interrupted when Gorun suddenly teleported into the bar. At first Kinana was happy to see him, and she started towards him. Then she saw the look on his face, and it was enough to make her halt in place.

His normally-tanned skin was pale as a sheet, and sweat lined his brow. His mouth was set in a compressed line, but his eyes were wide, and his entire body was as tense as string on a bow. In all their time together, Kinana had never seen him look like this, but she knew what the body language and the look on his face meant.

Gorun was terrified.

His eyes cast about the room wildly, ignoring the stares in the now-silent room before he jabbed his pointer finger as he spoke, saying, "Natsu, Lucy, Yukino. Gajeel and Wendy, you guys, too. Come with me."

"What are you-?"

"This isn't a suggestion or a request," the youth interrupted Gajeel tightly, his voice strained. "Come. _Now._ "

Kinana strode over to him, ahead of the people he had called on, a worried frown on her face. "Gorun, what's going on?" she asked him in a lowered tone. "Did you and Mystogan find the guy?" She used Jellal's cover name since there were non-guild members present.

"Did we ever," the Saiyan youth nodded stiffly. "I'm sorry, but explanations will have to wait. All I can say right now is that things are worse than I ever thought possible."

Kinana literally recoiled in shock. She had never heard her boyfriend speak in such negative terms before. Even when he was upset, he was at least somewhat positive, always confident that he could take on whatever an enemy could throw at him. There was none of that confidence present now- only stark terror and uncertainty that sent Kinana's spine to shivering.

 _What could they have found that has him spooked so bad?_ She wondered as the others that he had called on gathered around him, each of them asking questions.

"Save your questions for the one who can answer them," Gorun said to cut them all off. "We don't have a lot of time." Holding out his hand, he added, "Grab on, shut up, and whatever you do, no major hysterics." The others began to grab onto his arm, albeit hesitantly.

"Hey, why's he looking at me when he-"

Lucy was cut off midsentence as Gorun engaged instant transmission, teleporting them all to some unknown location. As usual, whenever something about Gorun confused the others in the guild, they turned to Kinana for an explanation.

"What was that all about?" It was Gray who voiced the question, wearing a frown and little else as he approached the purple-haired girl.

"I don't know," she said in a very small voice. "But… Gorun was more scared than I've ever seen him. And if he's worried… something awful must be going on."

"Don't worry about it," Romeo piped up after a tense silence. When the others turned to look at him, they were all surprised to see him grinning confidently as he added, "Gorun's gotta be one of the strongest wizards ever, and Natsu's just as awesome! If they team up like they did against Sabertooth, there's nothing that can stand against them!"

Many of the others chorused their agreement with the young fire mage. However, Gray noticed that Kinana was not among them.

 _They don't understand the levels of threats he's used to receiving,_ she thought bleakly, recalling the tales he had told her of villains like Broly, capable of destroying entire worlds with a flick of their wrist. _I can only hope that whatever is coming, he'll be able to handle it._

* * *

The group materialized at a terrace overlooking the sea, the nearly-full moon high overhead. Gorun let them get their bearings before rubbing his wrists nervously and saying, "All right… Bring her out, Jellal." They all turned in surprise to see the blue-haired convict stepping out of the shadows, his expression graver and more severe than ever.

"Thank you all for coming on short notice," he said as he stepped fully into the moonlight. "But this pertains especially to you dragon slayers and celestial wizards."

"What does?!" Lucy demanded.

"Yeah, cut the crap and spit it out already!" Natsu growled, frustrated. "Why are we even out here instead of partying with our friends?!"

"They wouldn't call you out here on a whim, Natsu," a familiar voice said from the shadows that Jellal had just exited. However, the voice was strained and haggard, making recognition difficult without a face.

"Who's there?" Gajeel demanded roughly.

"Hang on a sec," Natsu said, waving the other dragon slayer back. "I know that smell… But… Wait, what?!" The exclamation was drawn out of him as the speaker in the shadows stepped out so that she could be identified in the moonlight. Lucy stood before them, dressed in a black cloak, looking weak and worn.

"What the…?" Lucy said from beside Natsu, taking a step back in surprise. "What is this?" Around her, the Fairy Tail wizards were all recoiling in surprise or making other gestures of shock.

"There are two of 'em?!" Gajeel shouted in surprise.

"Wait, are you from Edolas?" Wendy inquired, though she was just as unsettled as the others.

"No, the doors between our realms are sealed," Jellal said with a shake of his head. "This Lucy is the one you have all known since she joined Fairy Tail."

"Not exactly," the Lucy that was standing behind Jellal said tiredly. "While it's true to say that I'm Lucy Heartfelia, I'm not the girl you've all come to know. I'm from a future not far off…"

"You're a… time-traveler?" Yukino asked, a strange note in her voice.

"She is," Gorun nodded certainly. "She has a… distinctive aura that one can only acquire by forcing themselves back through the tapestries of time."

"And how do you know about that?" Gajeel asked Gorun shrewdly, causing the Saiyan boy to wince.

"Time enough for that in a minute," he said after an awkward silence. "Lucy isn't here for a social call, and we need to get you five caught up to speed right now and five minutes ago if possible." He gestured for the future Lucy to come up and join them, turning the small gathering into a rough circle.

She did so, trembling and eyes downcast. "First off, you should all know that I've come back in time only a few weeks, so the disaster I've come back to warn you about isn't far off- less than two days, in fact."

"Disaster?" Natsu interrupted, eyes wide. "What happened that was so bad you had to figure out how to time travel?" Turning to his partner, he added, "And since when could you time travel?!"

"I don't know!" the present-day Lucy muttered. "But maybe if you shut up for two minutes, I- er, she'll tell us."

"Don't interrupt her, Natsu," Gorun said warningly. "This is serious."

Future Lucy cracked tiny smile at Natsu grumbling and pouting, but quickly became serious again. "In my time, we discovered two things that for reasons we'll get to in a bit, you guys haven't found out about. One was a dragon graveyard, deep in the ground underneath the arena." She waited for the obligatory exclamations of surprise to pan out before she continued, saying, "When we made it down there, Wendy was able to use her Milky Way spell to communicate with a long-dead dragon named Zirconis, who told us the history of Acnologia- how he was once a human that fell to an unfortunate side effect of overusing dragon slayer magic; becoming a dragon himself, and losing his humanity."

" _What?!_ " all three dragon slayers exclaimed.

"That can happen?!" Gajeel sputtered.

"We're all gonna turn into giant lizards?!" Natsu screeched.

"I don't wanna be a dragon!" Wendy cried.

" _Get a grip_!" Gorun bellowed, surprising them all with his vehemence. "There's more to it than that!"

Once everyone had calmed down- though Wendy still looked like she might faint- Future Lucy took up her tale again. "We also discovered that the military built a machine that had been absorbing magic power during the Grand Magic Games for the last seven years, called the 'Eclipse'. This was actually thanks to Yukino, since she had joined the military in order to assist with the project, and them needing my help to complete it. Well, more accurately, they needed our zodiac keys."

"Hold on a minute," Yukino frowned, confused. "I never joined the military. I was invited to join Fairy Tail, and I did. I've never been approached about any 'Eclipse' project, either."

"We know," Jellal said calmly. "There's an explanation for that, one we will cover in detail once everything else has been said."

"In any case, the Eclipse is activated by celestial magic, but it's a device directly from the pages of the book of Zeref," future Lucy told them gravely. "I'm sure you've already guessed its function by now."

"It lets you travel through time," the present Lucy said with a small gasp. "It has something to do with how time flows differently between our world and the celestial realm, right?"

"Yeah," her future counterpart nodded. "And I came back because you need to know that on July 7, right after the games end, a swarm of ten thousand dragons is coming- and there will be nothing left in this city except for a damaged Eclipse Gate that I managed to use to get back here. The city goes up in flames…" She began to shake violently, tears streaming down her face. "The country is d-destroyed… and… you're all…" She fell to her knees, overcome with emotion. She clutched at her face with her left hand as she began to rock back and forth.

"Ten thousand dragons?!" Gajeel said in disbelief. "And… even us dragon slayers… we don't…?"

"No one!" Future Lucy shouted in grief. "Everyone is gone! It's just me and Levy! That's all that's left of Fairy Tail, and Levy was too weak to make the trip out here and-!" She sobbed, unable to go on.

"No way…" Natsu breathed, speechless for once. Wendy couldn't even protest, rendered completely mute by horror and shock.

"This can't be real…" Present Lucy breathed.

"I don't understand," Yukino said in a horrified voice. "Even Gorun…? Even though he and Natsu defeated those that have slain dragons?"

"That's the part where it gets really bad, at least where I'm concerned," Gorun grimaced, realizing that they weren't going to get anything out of Lucy's future self for some time. "I've told Kinana most of what you're about to hear, and some of you already know a part of it, but it's time I tell you the full truth about where I come from, and what it means for your future."

"Is this about you being… uh…?" Lucy paused, unsure of how much she should say.

"An alien?" Gorun asked with a raised brow. "Yeah, that would be one facet of this."

"Wait, you're an-"

"Extra-terrestrial, dimension-hopper, inter-planetary traveler, take your pick," Gorun said heavily, shocking everyone but Natsu, Jellal, and the two Lucy's. "Yes, I am not of this world. Not even this dimension, actually. And where I come from, I was being trained to become a defender of the proper flow of time- a Time Patroller, if you will. Long story short, I decided that it wasn't the life for me, and I used seven items called dragon balls to summon a mythical dragon that sent me here, where I could be free of my past."

He was greeted with a stunned silence for several moments before the present Lucy said, "Okay, total information overload here. Why does that have anything to do with me coming back in time?!"

The Saiyan hybrid could see that they were all close to exploding in various ways- whether because of the shock of knowing that they were supposed to die in a few days, or that he was apparently an alien, he wasn't sure; it was hard to tell with them sometimes. "According to Lucy here," he made a gesture at the Lucy that was on her knees, still trying to control her sobs, "I wasn't present in her timeline. Because of me, certain events that were supposed to take place, didn't. Which, in my experience, means that we are even more screwed than we were before."

"How can we possibly be more screwed than the end of the world?!" Present Lucy shouted at him.

Gorun blinked a few times before nodding and saying, "Fair point, but don't underestimate the flow of time. It has always shown itself to be incredibly temperamental if tampered with."

"You said that certain events haven't happened that were supposed to," Yukino said, cutting back in. "What did you mean by that?"

"For starters, you never joined the military to assist with the Eclipse project," Jellal said, taking point. "And where this Lucy comes from, Kinana never learned to use magic, and she certainly didn't compete in the games. Elfman was the one who was supposed to substitute for Wendy, but in this era he never got the chance. In addition, I _was_ supposed to face Jura on the first day, Cana would have then switched in for me and won the MPF contest, and it was Gajeel who was supposed to join Natsu in the battle against Sting and Rogue."

"At the end of the fight, when Sting blasted open the caverns underneath the arena, Natsu and Gajeel would have gotten into an argument," Gorun said. "Natsu would have pushed Gajeel into a mine cart which led down into the dragon catacombs, and gone on to defeat Sting and Rogue on his own. Lastly, Yukino and Lucy were imprisoned when one part of the military decided that the Eclipse was too dangerous to use- that way they couldn't use the zodiac keys necessary to open the gate that leads into time itself."

"Ha!" Natsu laughed. "Knew I coulda taken on those two by myself!"

"Yeah, yeah, we're all very proud of you," present Lucy said sarcastically. "But as usual, you're missing the point! How are we supposed to take on ten thousand dragons?!"

"Duh, we know they're coming now, so we fight 'em," Gajeel grinned, cracking his knuckles. "They might'a had the advantage of surprise last time, but not-"

"You won't last against ten of them, Gajeel," said Future Lucy hoarsely. "Natsu barely lasted a minute against a group of fire dragons…" Her distressed words stopped the conversation cold.

"B-But we're dragon slayers!" Wendy protested. "How could we-?!"

"You have the capability to slay dragons, that doesn't mean it's an easy task," Gorun said heavily. "If it were, you'd have killed Acnologia seven years ago."

Gajeel and Natsu both bristled at the mention of that defeat, but neither one of them openly protested. They all realized that he was right- if they couldn't stand against one dragon, however powerful, how could they hope to stand up to a swarm of ten thousand?

"So… what do we do?" Present Lucy asked, directing the question to her future self. "Do you have a plan to stop the dragons? Or should we just try to run and hope they don't find us?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Future Lucy said with another shudder. "I had just been focusing on getting to the Eclipse… hoping past hope that I would be able to warn you guys. I honestly don't even really know how I got the Eclipse to work… I just…"

"Hey," Natsu said, with more gentleness and warmth than Gorun had ever heard him speak with. He knelt in front of the future Lucy and put a hand on her head, smiling at her as she gazed at him with tear-filled eyes. "We're gonna figure it out. All of us, together." He pulled her head closer, until his forehead rested against hers. "Thank you," he said in a low voice. "For coming back to help us."

"I…" Future Lucy found herself unable to make any kind of articulate reply, so she just leaned into the hug, crying softly.

While this was going on, Gajeel was staring hard at Gorun, as if seeing him for the first time. However, when he spoke next, it had nothing to do with the boy. "What I gotta wonder is why the military needs a time-travelling gate?" he muttered aloud.

"Apparently they wanted to use it to go back four hundred years to kill Zeref before he became immortal," Jellal answered him.

"In regards to that, I'm glad they failed," Gorun said heavily. "Interfering with time is left solely to the discretion of the gods where I come from. The god I served, the Supreme Kai of Time, would recruit strong warriors to go back in time to set things back on course whenever a group we called the 'Time Breakers' tried to steer things off-course, so such a thing would be considered sacrosanct."

"Why?" Wendy asked him, glancing at the Saiyan warrior. "Wouldn't it be good if he was never able to create all the horrible things that he did? Erza's village never would have been raided if that cult had tried to build that Tower of Heaven thing. Gray's family would still be alive, too, and a lot of other people."

"My parents would still be alive," Yukino said under her breath, almost to herself, but Gorun's keen ears caught it. "My sister would be…" She jerked her head up, apparently aware that she was speaking aloud. "I would do it," she said firmly. "I can see now why I would want to join this project."

"Don't," Gorun said swiftly. "It may seem like a good idea up front, but think about it in depth. Sure, you may prevent the threat of Zeref, but there is no world that exists out there without dark forces that would seek to tear it down. You may be rid of one problem, but I can guarantee you that there would be something or someone else to take his place. Killing Zeref in the past is not the answer."

"So should Lucy not have come back to warn us?" Gajeel demanded roughly, surprising everyone. It was the first time they'd heard him refer to the blond girl by her name, but he ignored their stares in favor of glaring at Gorun. "And if you're so against messing with timelines, why the hell did you think it would be okay to come here, huh?"

"Gajeel, hold on," Wendy began, but Gorun held up a hand for her to be silent.

"Unfortunately, he's absolutely right," the boy said heavily. "The Time Patrol was founded by the Supreme Kai of Time after one of my ancestors changed something in the past and created an entirely new timeline as a result. That's why the organization exists- to prevent things like this. Whether because Lucy has come back, or because I came here, or a combination thereof, we are now living in a parallel timeline. The havoc that could cause to the space-time continuum is immeasurable."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Jellal queried as Gorun began to back away from them.

"I'm saying that I've made an awful mistake," the boy said quietly, his eyes falling away from theirs'. "I… don't belong here. I never did. I have to-"

"If you say that you're gonna leave, I'll punch your teeth out." The unexpected declaration was uttered from Natsu's throat, etched with a growl. They all looked to see him standing from where he had been comforting Future Lucy, rage written clearly on his face.

"Natsu, my presence here is-"

"A damn good thing," the pinkette said, stopping not one pace away from his friend. Moving faster than Gorun had expected him to, the dragon slayer reached out, seized his right hand, and yanked up his arm so that his green Fairy Tail mark was easy to see. "You wear this mark, you're one of us. Before timelines and whatever some faraway god thinks, you're one of us. You're here with us for a reason!"

"But I-"

"Yeah!" Present Lucy exclaimed. "You said it yourself, damage already done! It's not like you can damage this timeline if it wasn't supposed to exist in the first place, right?"

"That's not exactly-"

"You can help us make a new timeline!" Wendy added, overriding the protesting Saiyan as he tried to disengage Natsu's grip. "One where we all live, and be happy!"

"Please," begged Future Lucy. "We need all the help we can get… I know you weren't in my time, but… these guys are right. If you wear that mark, you're Fairy Tail before anything else."

"I…" Gorun hesitated, at a loss for words. Mostly because he was touched that they all still wanted him to stay, but also, because he realized that maybe they were right. If his actions had already created a parallel timeline like Trunks had in the past, then why should he stop where he was? This universe hadn't imploded so far, so what would him staying make any more difference?

Still… "I don't know," he said uncertainly. "I just… This goes against what I was raised to do, deliberately changing time."

"For crying out loud, you've already changed things around here!" Gajeel shouted. "Now you're gonna run off and leave the job half-done?! I thought you were kind of a snob, but I never took you for a coward."

Gorun's first reaction was to be angry. He went to point out that it was Gajeel who had brought up the point that he didn't originally belong in this timeline, but then he paused and realized that what the Iron Dragon Slayer was saying might actually be closer to home than he would like to admit. When he had felt that he would buckle under the pressure of the legacy being handed to him, he had run. Now that it seemed he was only making another mistake, his first instinct was to run. _Am I a coward?_ He wondered, looking dully at the green mark on his arm. _My gut reaction is to run instead of owning up to my actions… That's not the mark of a warrior- of a Saiyan. It's the sign of a craven._

He clenched his free fist and took a deep breath. He looked over to Yukino, the only one who had yet to speak since he had tried to retreat. She met his eyes and smiled a little sadly. "I would be sad to see you go," she admitted. "You've made me feel like I could have a real home, and a guild to believe in. I don't know how I managed to cope with being thrown out of Sabertooth without your help, but it sounds like the me from the future would have been a lot more sad than I am now. If you left, I…" She shook her head and dashed the thought away. "Please stay, Gorun," she begged.

"No one here thinks that you showin' up was a bad thing," Natsu said firmly, locking eyes with Gorun as he spoke. "In fact, _because_ of you and Lucy, maybe we'll stand a chance at beating these dragons. Besides, none of us wanna break it to Kinana that you left."

His last words brought any arguments that Gorun might have been able to concoct to a crashing halt. As he pictured his girlfriend in his mind's eye, the way she would look when one of them told her that he had left her, right before they were all to be slaughtered, no less, he felt his resolve crumble. He could imagine the heartbreak, the anger that she would feel towards him, and that was something he just couldn't take.

He slumped his shoulders, defeated. "You all make good points," he mumbled. "I'm… sorry. For being a coward." Natsu snorted and let go of his arm.

"Heh," Gajeel chuckled, surprising him yet again. "There's no shame in bein' a little scared, kid. You'd only be a coward if you actually left." Gorun looked up to see the metallic slayer grinning.

"Heck, we're all scared," Present Lucy said as she helped her future self to her feet. "But we're Fairy Tail. We've got a couple of days to plan, which is a lot more than we had in the future. Let's use this time!"

"Heh." Future Lucy gave vent to a weak chuckle. "And here I was worried that you all wouldn't believe me. Guess I worried over nothing."

"Just how long have you been waiting to contact us?" Jellal asked her, an eyebrow raised. "You could have come to them much sooner."

"I only arrived on midnight last night," she answered. "And I… I know now that I should have had more faith in them. It's just…"

"Don't worry about it," Wendy said with a smile to the older girl. "You're handling this a lot better than I would have, I know." While the others laughed at the younger girl, Jellal and Gorun exchanged a quick glance of alarm.

" _She says she only arrived last night, the eve of the third day, the morning of the fourth,_ " Jellal said through telepathy. " _If that's true, why did we sense her presence on the third day, during the competition?!_ "

" _Unless it wasn't her we were sensing,_ " Gorun said grimly. " _I was trying to track her based on the Time Breaker energy signature. Anyone who has travelled through time via methods not developed by my previous master would carry that signature on them._ "

" _Anyone?_ " Jellal repeated. " _So then…_ "

" _It seems as though the investigation isn't as closed as we thought it was,_ " Gorun nodded. " _There's another time traveler around. One with an agenda completely unknown to us. Could be Zeref for all we know… Great._ "

" _Do you think Lucy knows about this other traveler?_ " Jellal wondered.

" _No_ ," Gorun said immediately. " _Look at her- she's barely keeping it together. If she'd come back with someone to help her, she wouldn't be acting like this, nor would she be wandering about, alone. I very much doubt that she knows about the other._ "

" _Hmm… for now we had best focus on the problems we have a clear knowledge of,_ " Jellal decided. " _How to counter this dragon menace._ "

" _Yeah… Let's get right on that, any ideas?_ " Gorun asked sarcastically.

" _I suggest we rejoin the conversation at hand for that,_ " Jellal answered. " _Get them started, I'll inform Urtear and Meredy of what's happening._ "

" _In the meantime, I'll just hope that there's not someone from a third timeline running around,_ " Gorun muttered sourly.

* * *

"So… Yeah," Gorun concluded awkwardly. He looked at the small crowd of people that he and the others had just finished recounting the situation to. He saw shock, horror, even some denial in the faces of his guild mates. The group of dragon slayers and celestial wizards had decided that the others, at the very least, deserved to know about what was coming, so they had gathered everyone they could find at the bar they had rented out for the night.

He had spared nothing in his explanation of how his presence could be affecting the timeline, and a result, their own destinies. He had told them the truth about where he came from, and why he had decided to leave. It was all out in the open now, his history, and Future Lucy's tale of the times to come. All they could do now was wait for the rest of Fairy Tail to decide on what to do with the information they had been given.

Future Lucy and Gorun looked expectantly to Makarov, whose expression was grim indeed. Many of the others in the guild followed suit, wondering what he would have to say about the outlandish claims of the two wizards. However, much to Gorun's immense relief, Kinana came to stand by him and place her smaller hand in his own.

 _I'm still with you,_ the gesture said.

He squeezed her hand to say, _Thank you._

"This is troubling news, indeed," the old man said at length. "Gorun, my boy, I'll have some questions for you once this whole dragon invasion is over, but for now, we had best focus on the immediate threat."

"So… you believe us?" Future Lucy asked hesitantly.

"Of course we do!" Levy said as she approached the malnourished version of her friend. "You've obviously gone through a lot to get this news to us so we have a fighting chance. Why wouldn't we believe it?"

"And who cares if Gorun's an alien?" Gray added as he grinned at his friend. "He's Fairy Tail, too. That's good enough for me to trust him." Gorun couldn't help but smile back a bit as his companion, appreciative of the show of support.

"Well, as nice as that is, we still have the problem of the dragons heading our way," Mirajane pointed out. "Not to mention this Eclipse thing sounds pretty dangerous."

"Trust me, it has the potential to damage this timeline more than I ever could," Gorun said sourly. "But I think it'll have to be addressed after we find a way to send the dragons packing. Besides, I think if we mentioned it to the military before we get their help, they're more likely to throw us in jail on charges of having classified information, never mind how we obtained it."

"Wait, why do we need the military's help?" Cana questioned, making a face as she did.

"We'll need every bit of help we can get against these things," Gorun replied. "According to Lucy, the dragons that are coming don't seem as strong as that Acnologia character you all tangled with seven years ago. However, their numbers more than make up for this fact, to the point that Natsu didn't even last a minute against a group of fire dragons- the very ones he was specifically trained to slay. That doesn't bode well for our chances."

"Oh," the brunette said, paling rapidly.

"So then, what is the plan?" Macao asked. "How do we get the military's support?"

"We ask the king for help," Lucy of the present answered. "The team that wins the Grand Magic Games gets an audience with him. If we can convince him of this threat, then we can at least have an organized force ready for the dragons' arrival."

"That seems like a long shot…" Makarov muttered. "But winning is also the best chance we have getting an audience with the king." He looked over to Mavis, who had been unusually quiet, even for her. "First Master, your thoughts?"

"Hmm…" she mused for a moment. "My first thought would be to evacuate the citizens before the threat arrives, but that feat becomes impractical when we consider that we have no real proof other than Lucy being here from the future. We believe her, of course, and rightly so, but others will likely not be so accepting, especially given the news she bears. I believe that the best course of action we have before us is the one that your children have already laid out- we must seek the aid of the king by winning the Grand Magic Games."

"Uh, question?" Romeo interjected. "Didn't Future Lucy say that the dragons arrived right after the games? Doesn't give us a lot of time to prepare, or the army, even if we even can convince the king."

"We know, but it's all we've been able to come up with so far," Gorun said heavily. "Jellal did mention that he'd be arranging to have back-up brought to us, but it wouldn't be anything we could rely on as a total game-changer."

"Better than nothin'," Gajeel muttered. He and the other dragon slayers were being uncharacteristically quiet, apparently feeling overwhelmed as they realized that no matter what battle plan the others could come up with, the brunt of the fighting was going to fall to them.

"If nothing else, there's something I've been meaning to speak to the dragon slayers about," Gorun said after a long, uncomfortable silence. "It's about your-"

The sound of someone banging on the door interrupted him. "Fairy Tail! Open up!" someone called from the outside of the bar. "This is the army! Comply, or we will be forced to take action!"

The wizards inside all tensed up, with Natsu, Gray, and Gorun moving to interpose themselves between the door and their friends. "What do they want?" Gray muttered once they had all taken ready stances.

"My guess is that time is trying to correct itself," Gorun answered in a low tone. "If it's really the army out there, you can bet that they're here for Lucy and Yukino about the Eclipse."

"Then they've got another thing comin' if they think they can just take our friends," Natsu growled.

"You have until the count of five!" the voice from outside called again. "One!"

"Door's unlocked, but the first person who comes in with a weapon drawn bites the dust!" Gorun called back. "Until we hear cause for an arrest or reason to treat us as hostiles, I suggest you keep your distance!"

This seemed to give the person on the other side pause. After a few seconds, they called back, "Defense Minister Darton wishes to speak to the celestial wizards Lucy Heartfelia and Yukino Agria. He is coming in… unarmed."

Gorun and the others looked back at Makarov, who nodded. "Let's at least hear him out," he said. "Can't hurt to hear what he has to say, and if worse comes to worse, Gorun, you make sure to get the girls out." Turning to the Lucy from the future, he said, "Hide yourself, dear. We don't want to reveal you yet, especially since these people might be here to get the Eclipse working."

"Yes sir," the Saiyan hybrid nodded grimly as he moved to follow orders while Lucy pulled her hood up and went to hide behind Elfman- easy enough since he was about three times her size. Gorun made sure she was well-concealed before he moved to the door and quickly opened it. "All right, send your guy in," he called. "No funny business, got it?"

"Believe me, I find this business to be anything but funny," said low, gravelly voice. "And I hardly think your concerns are necessary. I'm here to help you."

"Yeah, weird how your version of offering help comes disguised by the fifty-odd soldiers you've got surrounding the place," Gorun replied as he stepped back inside to admit a small, older man dressed in fancy robes of blue and gold.

"They are only here in the event that your guild causes any trouble," the old man- Darton, they all realized- replied gruffly. "Or worse, if that fool Arcadios tries to make a scene…"

"Seems like there's already a scene to be had," Makarov said, his best disapproving frown fixed on his brow. "I'd like to know why the army is after two of my children, and in the middle of the night, no less."

"Forgive the show of force," Darton said, relenting a little bit. "It's just that I've never had any dealings with Fairy Tail in person before, and well… Let's just say that the rumors paint you all in a rather lively color."

"You're avoiding my question, Minister," Makarov scowled. "Why are you here?"

"As I said, I'm here to help you," the other man replied as he looked around the room. "I need to speak to Miss Heartfelia and Miss Agria as soon as possible."

Lucy and Yukino exchanged a glance before stepping up to the front of the gathered group of wizards. "We're right here," Lucy said stiffly. "What do you want, sir?" Her tone held only the bare minimum of respect appropriate for a minister of the kingdom.

"I need to take you two into protective custody," he said bluntly. "A man named Arcadios is using his influence in the military to try and get to you two. I can't say why, but you're both very important to a project that he has been working on for some time. While he was once a staunch supporter of the kingdom, I fear that his obsession with this project has driven him mad- to the point where he tried to hire thugs to kidnap Miss Heartfelia, though he made them believe that it was Raven Tail hiring them."

"I knew it," Carla muttered from where she sat with Wendy. "I knew it wasn't Raven Tail behind that sloppy kidnapping attempt."

"My point is that he has shown that he is willing to go outside the law in order to get his hands on you," Darton continued. "If you would allow it, I can provide you protection until the games are over, and when your guild leaves, you will be able to rejoin them on their way back to Magnolia, by which time I will have Arcadios arrested and incapable of getting to you again."

"And where would we be staying?" Lucy demanded hotly. "No offense, but for all we know, you could be working for this Arcadios guy, or working your own agenda to get to us."

"You would be staying in the palace, in a secure wing for VIP's," Darton replied, unfazed by her accusations. "You'd have an army in between you and any intruders."

"Again, how do we know that the army isn't trying to get to us?" Lucy asked stubbornly. "Isn't this Arcadios guy a colonel or something?"

Darton stiffened, seemingly taken aback by her knowledge of the situation. "Not for long, I can assure you," he finally answered. "Please, this is-"

"Yeah, I don't think so," Lucy cut him off. "This whole thing already seems suspicious to me- no way I'm supposed to believe you're on the side of the angels, short stack. All you want is to use me and Yukino in your stupid 'Eclipse' project, and-!"

"What?!" Darton cried, enraged. "How do you know about-?! Arcadios!" His indignation quickly gave vent to a fierce anger as he growled, "That fool has already tried to convince you to join, hasn't he?! I'll be damned before I see that gate open! _Guards!_ "

 _Dammit, Lucy, we weren't supposed to know about that!_ Gorun winced as Darton called for his reinforcements. However there would be time later to scold the blond wizard for her slip. Right now, he needed to get them away and figure out how to get the army to stand down without blowing them all away.

He hesitated, then turned to Yukino, grabbing her right hand in both of his and placing something in her palm. "Hide these, use them only in an emergency," he told her quickly. The silver-haired girl's eyes widened, but she nodded her understanding and hid the items on her person as the boys in the guild moved to crowd the minister.

"Bad move, callin' your dogs," Gajeel growled as he cracked his knuckles.

"You'll have to get through all of us before you can take Lucy and Yukino," Gray added, preparing his ice-make magic.

"Strike at me or my men, and you'll have the entire army after you!" Darton exclaimed, but he was sweating nervously, despite his declaration, as he realized that he was in a bar full of very angry wizards, and he knew no magic himself. Still, he was a stubborn man. "I could have you all arrested just for knowing about Eclipse!"

"It doesn't matter," Romeo growled, purple fire springing to life in his hands. "If it's to protect our family…"

"It could be the kingdom or the entire world against us," Natsu snarled, orange flames licking at his fingertips as he spoke.

"We would make an enemy of anyone," Gorun added, several red magic circles appearing over his head. "That's what it means to be Fairy Tail." The aura of the Kaioken enveloped him, just as a dozen soldiers crashed into the room, weapons raised. Several of the soldiers must have recognized him and Natsu at the head of the party, because they looked uncertain about their chances at victory.

Seeing this, Gorun grinned fiercely and asked, "So which one of you feels like you can beat the conquerors of the Twin Dragons?" The soldiers that had come in looking uncertain now looked downright frightened; one of them even looked like he was about to call for a surrender when an unexpected voice stopped things from going any further.

"Everyone, please stop!" All eyes swung to Yukino, who was striding forward with Lucy to place themselves between the two opposing parties. "Please," the soft-spoken celestial mage begged. "Don't fight about this. We'll go with the minister- perhaps there's a way we can resolve this without violence."

"Hmph," Darton muttered, eying the two girls suspiciously. Their surrender seemed a little too easy, especially given how hard the blond one had protested to going with him in the first place. Still, it was entirely possible that Yukino was more even-tempered than her companion. "It seems as though at least one among you understands the need for reason," he said at last. Turning to the ranking officer, he added, "Sargent, take them into custody."

"What are you doing?!" Natsu demanded as Lucy and Yukino allowed themselves to be led out by the soldiers. "You can't just let them-!"

"I know what I'm doing, Natsu," Lucy told him sternly, stopping him mid-rant. "I trust you- don't you trust me?" She kept her eyes locked on his until his widened and he nodded once. To the side, Gorun noticed that Warren had two fingers to his temple, and was concentrating fiercely.

"I trust you," Natsu finally said.

"Good," Lucy smiled at him before stepping out the door.

"We'll be back soon," Yukino said with a small smile of her own before she too, was gone.

As the soldiers began to file out, Gorun decided to have the last word. "One thing, before you go, Minister," he said, dropping his enhancement spell as he spoke.

"What is it, boy?" the small man asked roughly. He was eager to be on his way before any of the wizards changed their minds.

"If I ever find out that those two are harmed in your custody…" the young man said, a cold smile fixated on his face as he spoke. "I'll make sure the entire kingdom knows about Eclipse, and where it comes from. That, I promise."

Darton visibly paled. They could literally see the color draining from his face as he realized that somehow, Gorun, and probably every wizard in the room, knew how the Eclipse project had come about. Which meant that if he ever made good on that threat, the king, his family, and probably his entire administration, would be finished. Them knowing about the project existing was bad enough, but to know about its origins was beyond the minster's worst nightmares. One of the kingdom's most deeply buried secrets was now in the hands of some of its most volatile wizards.

 _I have to keep them quiet,_ he realized, sweating. "What do you want in return for your silence?" he asked.

"Let my children go," Makarov demanded quietly, yet forcefully.

"Not until Arcadios is behind bars, and I can be certain that they will not be able to complete the Eclipse as he wishes," Darton replied immediately. "I can, however, assure you that they will not be mistreated. I'm sorry, but it's all I can do right now, given the circumstances."

"Fine," Makarov scowled. "But heed the warnings of my children well, Minister. Those that make an enemy of Fairy Tail never escape unscathed."

* * *

"Why'd they give up so easy?!" Natsu demanded hotly. "Lemme go after 'em! Lemme outta here!" He was presently tied to one of the support pillars of the bar that they had rented out. At Makarov's request, everyone but Mavis, Natsu, Gray, Laxus, Erza, Gorun, Gajeel, Juvia, Mirajane, Wendy, and Future Lucy had cleared out so that he discuss the situation with them in private. It was well past midnight by, making the current day the rest period before the final battle of the Grand Magic Games.

"They gave up so that they could be in a better position for us to get them out when we mount a rescue," Gorun told them. "Yukino signaled Warren to help her talk to Lucy with his telepathy after I gave her something that will help them get the ball rolling if we make enough noise for them to notice."

"That's why I have our most combat-ready wizards assembled here," Makarov explained. "He filled me in on the situation as soon as the guards left. We now need two teams- one to compete in the games so that we can win an audience with the king, and the other to mount a rescue force."

"Who went to rescue you and Yukino in the future?" Gorun asked Lucy, who had yet to speak.

"Mira, Wendy, and Natsu," she answered. "Happy, Carla, and Pantherlily came, too. It wasn't enough, though. By the time we made it out, everything was in flames and most of us were killed in the confusion and the castle coming down while we were in it."

"So we send extras this time, and maybe change up the roster a bit," Gray suggested. "Obviously five of us have to stay in for the games, and it makes sense to use our current team. We're a solid group, plenty capable of winning the final battle."

"No way," Natsu said vehemently. "I'm goin' after Lucy, and there's nothing any of you are gonna do to stop me!" So saying, he burned through his ropes and made for the door- only to be crushed under Makarov's giant fist.

"Simmer down," the old man growled, while Future Lucy looked like she was fighting a mix of tears and a smile. "You can go with the rescue team, but you're not going alone. Understand, boy?"

"Aye sir…" Natsu wheezed with what little breath remained in his lungs.

"Good," Makarov muttered as he let the dragon slayer up. "First things first, then. Who's going to replace him on the battle team?"

"Anywhere my darling Gray goes, so shall I!" Juvia squealed as she threw herself at the boy, only for him to move out of the way with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Like hell you will," he said sternly. "This is ridiculous, Juvia! Our guild mates' freedom is on the line, not to mention the fate of the world! This isn't the time for you to be indulging in those creepy fantasies of yours!" Juvia looked shocked and hurt at his cold words.

 _Ripping off the bandage,_ Gorun thought grimly as an uncomfortable silence fell on the group. _There were probably better times for this to happen… Let's see if we can't get things steered back in the original direction._

"I nominate Gajeel for the battle team," the saiyan said aloud. "His magic power and skill are just about Natsu's equal in every way, so he'd make a good substitute. Er, no offense, man." He added the last part hastily as he noticed the man getting a little annoyed at being compared to Natsu.

"He's also performed well in stealth ops," Laxus pointed out. "I mean, he managed to infiltrate my old man's guild without raising any red flags, which probably wasn't easy."

"Stealth isn't our top priority, and the others don't have his skill in that area- I mean, look at Natsu," Erza pointed out.

"Hey!" the pinkette objected loudly.

"Fair point," Makarov nodded. Turning to Mavis, he asked, "What do you think, First Master?"

"I think Gajeel's talents will be better suited for the strategy I have in mind for the games, Sixth Master," the young-looking ghost answered. "Within the palace, there are too many variables that I have no way of knowing about. Our best bet in there is to send in our most unpredictable wizards and hope for the best. I'd say that Natsu, Mirajane, and Wendy all have tendencies to be the ones to surprise us, so the fact that I chose them to go in the future doesn't surprise me. However, Juvia also has a tendency to surprise us, given the right circumstances. She would make an excellent addition to the team to rescue Yukino and Lucy."

The rain woman mumbled something that might have been an acknowledgement, but it was hard to tell with her lying on the ground and her face pressed into the floorboards.

"Will just Juvia be able to make enough of a difference?" Gajeel asked. "No offense to her, she's got good combat skills, but with the stakes this high, is it gonna be enough to be safe?"

"Nothing is safe anymore," Makarov replied gravely. "And if we send too many people, the army will be suspicious of their absence. I'm already nervous about Natsu not being present to compete, but I can tell I won't be able to change his mind."

"Damn right you're not!" Natsu grinned.

"What about one more?" Gorun asked. "Never hurts to have an ace card up your sleeve, if you catch my drift."

Makarov's eyebrow rose fractionally as he asked, "Cana?"

"She's made it to the S-class trials four times now, and according to the others, if not for Grimoire Heart invading, she might have made it this year," the boy shrugged. "She's not competing, and I know that she's been chafing about that. So let's give her something to do."

"First Master?" Makarov asked, though Gorun could see that the old man would require very little convincing in this matter.

"It's a good idea, but we can't send anyone else after her," Mavis nodded. "If worse comes to worst, we'll need every strong wizard available to combat the dragons when they show up."

"I'm going with the rescue team," Lucy announced, surprising them. "I still remember some of the passages through the castle. It's not like I have a complete map or anything, but something is better than nothing. Besides, if one of the army guys sees me with you guys, they're going to get suspicious of us, since your me is supposed to be in custody."

"Whaddya mean 'your me'?" Natsu asked, cocking his head to one side. "You're our Lucy, too, you know." He saw her about to protest, but he shook his head and cut her off, adding, "You ran from the army with me years ago, and you got the Fairy Tail mark on your hand. We fought on Galuna Island, against Jellal in the Tower of Heaven, we beat the Oracion Seis, went to Edolas, and survived Acnologia together. If that's true, then you're our Lucy, too."

The others looked at Natsu, surprised that he had managed to recount all of their adventures so accurately. Lucy couldn't stop the tears from flowing again as she fell to the ground, sobbing as she covered her face with her left hand.

"I can't believe it…" she hiccupped. "After everything I've been through… I get to go on one more adventure with you all. I get to see you…"

"Hey," Natsu said warmly as he moved to comfort the girl again. "This isn't our last run, ya hear? We'll go on lots more adventures together. We'll save the future, and then we'll go on jobs together, just like the old days."

"I… I can't," Lucy sniffled. "My keys… I lost them all in the future, don't you see? I c-can't be a wizard anymore!" That particular piece of news, while it had been suspected by most of the others in the room, still made them all wince. They all knew how much she loved her spirits, so for her to lose them, on top everything else that had happened to her, couldn't have been anything less than the hardest thing she had suffered through to date.

Surprisingly, it was Gajeel who spoke up now. "Aw, don't gimme that crap," he said roughly. "As I recall, you didn't need any keys to stand up to me when I was in Phantom Lord. You held your ground and kept your pride in this guild no matter what I did. Sounds like a grade-A Fairy Tail wizard to me."

The others looked at him, surprised by his insight. Lucy even managed to smile through her tears as she looked up at the Iron Dragon Slayer. "Thanks… Gajeel," she finally said.

"Don't mention it," he shrugged, ignoring the grins that everyone was directing at him. "Ever."

"We have our teams," Makarov announced. "I will inform Cana of the situation, and as soon as the games begin tomorrow, we will begin our rescue operation. Get some rest, all of you. I have a feeling that after tomorrow, we're going to need it."

"And meet back here for lunch," Mavis announced. "I have something to discuss with both teams."

* * *

On the morning of July 7, the final day of the Grand Magic Games, the team representing the Fairy Tail guild stood, still as statues on a plaza in the northwest part of Crocus. The last event was to be a Battle Royale, with the entire city set as the stage. Each of them knew their part in this play, and was ready to carry it out.

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, Natsu led the charge toward the capital, the rest of his team in tow. Cana was armed with an arsenal of her tarot cards, a grim look of determination on her features. Mirajane had decked herself out in a combat suit that would blend into darker places, though her brilliant white hair kind of ruined the effect. Juvia ran alongside Wendy, both bluenettes looking serious. Above them flew Happy, Carla, and Pantherlily as back-up.

* * *

 _All right,_ Gorun thought as his eyes snapped open at the sound of the fireworks over the arena. _Time for this Time Patroller to come out of an early retirement._

* * *

 **Mataras: For those of you that don't remember, Future Lucy didn't meet up with the others until only a couple of hours before the dragon swarm invaded in the original canon. I decided to change that here to make things a little more interesting.**

 **Saiki: I was surprised by your decision to have Gorun speak so well of Cana. Up until now, their relationship has been mostly strained.**

 **Mataras: It's his way of trying to make things up to her. He knows he overreacted now, so he's doing what he can to make amends.**

 **Gorun: Finally!**

 **Mataras: Oh hey, when did you get here?**

 **Gorun: Whaddya mean, 'when did I get here?!' I was here before you brought in the cotton-candy-head, then you up and forgot me!**

 **Mataras: My bad. But in my defense, his show is pretty funny, and I wanted to share in the joy of it.**

 **Gorun: By neglecting your own character?! What is wrong with you?!**

 **Saiki: It is noticeable that there is a severe lack of 'goodwill toward men' right now...**

 **Gorun: You stay out of this!**

 **Saiki: Gladly.**

 **Mataras: No, stay where you are! If you leave, the humor goes with you!**

 **Saiki: ...I might be willing to 'humor' you if you have any more of those coffee jellies...**

 **Gorun: Hey! Puns are my schtick! If you're taking my jokes, I'm taking your food!**

 **Saiki: You have exactly three seconds to reconsider that move.**

 **Mataras: Now this is more like it! Coming this Christmas Eve on Saiyan Tail- Grand Magic War**

* * *

 _Next Time on Saiyan Tail..._

Gorun had ceased his irregular flying habits and landed on the ground in a rural area, seemingly at random. However, the decision to go to ground was anything but random. _This should be the place, and I'm on time_ , he thought as he glanced around at the cross-street that Mavis had told him to go to once the fighting had stalled out.

His sensitive hearing picked up on a noise coming from the rooftops to his right, and the power level approaching could have hardly belonged to a stray cat. Turning to face that direction, he engaged his barrier technique just before a small, pink-haired figure leaped off the nearest roof.

"Sky god _Boreas!_ " the girl cried, sending a cyclone of black wind to smash into the energy barrier.

Gorun grunted with the surprising amount of effort it was taking to keep up the shield, but he held his ground. As soon as the attack cleared, he lowered the shield, though he kept on his guard as he raised his eyebrows at the young girl, Sherria. "Solid power, and not an awful attempt at a sneak attack," he told her. "Against most people, that would have worked."

"Yeah, but you're not most people, are you?" Sherria grinned fiercely at him from atop a lamppost. "You went toe-to-toe with Jura, after all. Lyon's still pretty shook up about it."

"Technically, I _beat_ Jura, if we're counting the MPF contest," Gorun grinned back. "So what makes you think that you'll win against someone strong enough to take on a Wizard Saint?"

"I've never gone up against Jura, so I don't know how I compare," Sherria shrugged. "What I do know is that I'm in it to win it for love and Lamia Scale- so that means I'll take down anyone who stands in the way of that, even if it's you! Sky god _Roar!"_

" _Masenko!_ " Gorun knew there wasn't enough time to charge up a proper Kamehameha, so he settled for the quicker, piercing attack. The two energies collided, but instead of cancelling each other out, Sherria's attack overwhelmed his and continued on to smash him into the street-painfully.

"Augh!" he cried out as he felt his leg wrench as he went tumbling down the road. _What the hell?!_ He thought, beginning to feel a trace of panic. _This girl's power level is nowhere near Jura's! How is she beating me down so easily?!_

There was little time to contemplate the issue as Sherria began to press her advantage, sending cyclone after black cyclone at him, grinning gleefully the whole time.


	13. Grand Magic War

**A/N: Merry Christmas, fellow pursuers of the fun that is fan fiction! Today, I present to you many gifts, including this chapter, a new installment in The Red Swordsman: Shattered Fragment, and the beginning to a sequel for my very popular story, Fire Sword! For those of you that have read the Fire Emblem x SAO crossover and wish to continue the adventure, go to my home page and look for Fire Sword: Shrouded Destiny.**

 **Now for this chapter itself, we have a full day of action, some unexpected twists, Cana finally getting to show us what she's got along Natsu's infiltration team, and a brand-new fusion (which you can see has replaced the cover image for the week that this chapter goes live), though some of you have already seen her and know who she is if you follow me on instagram at the_red_swordsman.**

 **Now let's have ourselves a proper Saiyan Christmas, complete with lots and lots of screaming and butt-kicking!**

 **OP Song: Blizzard by Daichi Miura**

 **P.S. If anyone spoils the new 'Broly' movie for me, I will be absolutely livid.**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 10_

 **Grand Magic War**

The first phase of Mavis' plan had gone off without a hitch, Gorun saw. Rufus' initial attack to knock their team out of the competition from the start had failed exactly as the first master had predicted, causing him to become agitated and confused. According to their strategist, he was more than likely to beat a retreat in order to gather his wits, but there was also a sizeable chance that he would stay right where he was, possibly to try again.

The Saiyan boy was acting as back-up and support to whoever needed it, while the others acted as attack units in the first master's plan; though he expected that he would likely be needed for the confrontation with Jura as a safe measure. He had proven that in a contest of brute strength, his etherion blasts were stronger than Jura's geokinesis. However, the man did have years of experience that Gorun didn't, and as he well knew, one should never underestimate a lifetime's worth of memories while fighting dangerous opponents.

Right now, though, Rufus was the issue to deal with. After engaging his barrier technique to cancel out the bolt of lightning sent by the Sabertooth wizard, he shot forward, not even bothering to engage the Kaioken. "Tyrant Lance!" he shouted, sending forth a small blue energy beam from his right fist.

Rufus avoided the technique, leaping down from the rooftop he had been on, and running down a shadowed alleyway. Gorun scowled for a moment, then decided to let him go. This was the outcome the plan called for, so he would allow the man to escape for now. _He'll get his soon enough,_ Gorun reminded himself with a smirk. For now, he would keep an eye on the power levels scattered about the city, waiting for his turn to fly into action again.

* * *

At the entrance to the castle, Cana was smirking at the two sleeping guards, snoring loudly as she put away the magic card she had used to charm them to sleep.

"Don't you think that was a little overboard?" Wendy asked as they leaped over the gates and into the castle gardens, Future Lucy requiring Natsu's assistance to do so. "When they wake up, they'll raise the alarm and the entire palace will know that we're here."

"Nah, I doubt it," Cana replied cheekily. "One of the side effects when they wake up is that they forget the last few minutes before they get knocked out. They won't even remember that we were here."

"And from the way that they were complaining about how bored they were, I'll bet that they wind up thinking they fell asleep on their own," Mirajane added. "It's not unheard of."

"I say we stop worrying about it and get a move on!" Natsu growled. "Yukino and Lucy aren't going to rescue themselves!"

"Yes I am," Future Lucy grinned weakly, causing the other girls to laugh.

* * *

Quatro Kerberos was quickly eliminated, followed shortly by Blue Pegasus, half of them being accounted for by Gajeel, who was clearly enjoying being in a fight for the first time since he entered the games. Gray provided him some backup, but they quickly went their separate ways. Erza accounted for Jenny, though Ichiya was eliminated swiftly by Jura when they encountered one another.

Gorun stayed in an irregular orbit above the city, keeping an eye on proceedings, but conserving his magic power as much as possible. Mavis had explicitly ordered him to wait until a threat appeared that one of his teammates could clearly not handle on their own. This went against his natural instincts, of course, but he knew of Mavis' reputation as a strategist, thanks to a conversation with Levy a few days back. So as much as he hated sitting on the sidelines, he paid heed to her words.

He frowned as he noticed Gray seeming to struggle against Rufus on one of the lachryma screens floating around the city. However, before he decided to rush to his teammate's aid, he gauged their power levels. When he did, a smile was quickly brought to his face as he dropped his fingers from his forehead.

* * *

"You must be a glutton for punishment," Rufus said in a bored tone as he blasted Gray away from himself yet again.

"Nah, I think I've had enough of being tossed around," Gray replied with a cold grin as he ripped off his shirt. "So lemme show you something that you've never seen before."

"Hmph," Rufus smirked, as he pressed two fingers to his temple. "Whatever you can throw at me, I've already memorized."

"No, you haven't!" Gray roared with new purpose in his voice as he assumed his ice-make stance. "Because you can't memorize what only belongs to me! My memories will defeat yours!"

"Ha!" Rufus scoffed. "Your power only allows you to create things out of ice. You cannot give them form like I can. And my memory is perfect."

"Wanna bet?" Gray retorted, his smile growing ever wider as he suddenly raised his right leg up and held it there, leaving him standing only on his left. "Cos if that's right, you gotta know what's coming next."

Rufus frowned, the stance striking a chord in his memory, a recent event. But what was this man trying to do? If it didn't register as dangerous to him, then it could only be some kind of last-ditch effort by a desperate competitor, a final throw of the dice, as it were. "You're bluffing," he finally shrugged, preparing his own spell to counterattack.

Gray's fist opened up, but he left it resting in his palm, a white light shining from his now-open hand. " _Ice make_ …" he growled before thrusting his hands forward, leaving them as open palms while he screamed, " _Freezing Gallick GUN!_ "

Rufus was flash-frozen the instant that the beam touched him, a look of shock on his face. The section of the library behind him was also frozen over, courtesy of the powerful technique copied and then slightly altered by the Ice wizard's personal spin. Gray wasn't done, either. "Now, feel my _Ice Bringer!_ " he bellowed as he slashed at the frozen man with twin swords, causing an explosion of shattering ice that forced Rufus to fall where he stood, making him the first member of Sabertooth to go down during the final day of the Grand Magic Games.

"I told ya," Gray said as he caught Rufus' hat and placed on his own head. "Fairy Tail wizards never lose to the same guy more than once."

* * *

Outside, Gorun was watching one of the lachryma screens with his jaw hanging open. "Since when could he do _that_?!" he sputtered. "I didn't teach him that move!"

* * *

Back at the arena, everyone was looking at Kinana again, who looked just as surprised as they did. "He didn't learn it from me!" she said.

"I know," Mavis told the girl. "I taught it to him." Now everyone, Kinana included, looked at the first master with shock and awe.

"How could you teach a magic you've never used?!" Makarov asked, his eyes wide. "Was this a part of your strategy?!"

"Yes," the small, serious girl nodded. "I got the idea from watching Narun in action. I thought that if everyone could have a spell similar to one of Gorun's attacks, we might give our opponents a nasty surprise, seeing as they were incredibly potent in battle. So taking what I've seen of him in action, specifically the spells that he used while in combat, I was able to come up with techniques for each Fairy Tail wizard competing, except for Erza, and some of those that went to rescue Lucy and Yukino."

"Why not Erza?" Kinana asked curiously. "Is it because her magic doesn't allow for direct energy projections?"

"No," Mavis replied with a single negative shake of her head. "I didn't come up with a spell for her to learn because she already had something she was working on. I merely helped her complete her project."

"That's awesome!" Romeo grinned excitedly. "Now we're sure to win!"

"Yes, that's what I was aiming for," Mavis said with a small, yet still serious, smile.

* * *

"So last time you guys were taken to the dungeons?" Natsu asked Future Lucy in a hushed voice as they dashed around a corner just in time to avoid being spotted by a pair of soldiers.

"Yeah," she replied in the same lowered tone. "But that was when we were arrested alongside Colonel Arcadios. This time, it seems like Minister Darton is keeping me and Yukino in a suite not too far from here. Unless your nose says otherwise?" She glanced back at the fire wizard for confirmation.

"It's kinda weird, cos I can smell you right here, but yeah, I can smell you and the new girl further down the hall, too," Natsu confirmed.

"Wow, I hope my nose is that sharp someday," Wendy said wistfully.

"While normally I discourage you emulating the Salamander, enhancing your senses is a worthy goal to pursue- but perhaps it's better left for after we make it out of here," Carla reminded her friend.

"I wonder how Gray is doing in the games…" Juvia mumbled gloomily.

"Ha!" Natsu chuckled. "Frosty is fine, and so are the others! Just you wait, we're gonna be back in time for the victory party!"

"Let's hold off on that until after the dragon swarm is dealt with," Mirajane said with a nervous smile. "And we'd better get Lucy and Yukino out of here if we're going to be at full strength when they come."

"I agree," Pantherlily nodded. He was peering around the next corner, but now he brought his face back to look directly at the others. "There are a dozen guards at the end of the hallway, protecting one door. Not only that, there are surveillance lachrymas watching them in the event of an intruder."

"So we can't even knock out the guards like we did at the entrance," Cana muttered, frowning in annoyance. "I could blow the lachrymas without much noise, but someone would still notice."

"I think our best bet is to get in and out as fast as possible, but destroy the lachrymas first," Mirajane offered. "At least that way, they don't have recorded proof that it was us."

"Dibs on the guards," Natsu grinned evilly.

"I'll cast a speed-enhancement spell on all of us before we go," Wendy said softly, a green light emanating from her body. " _Vernier._ " Immediately, everyone present felt lighter than before, as if the gravity pulling them toward the ground was reduced to a mere suggestion instead of a law of nature.

"I'll take out the lachrymas," Cana said as she reached for her cards. Looking down at the black-furred exceed, she asked, "How many are there?"

"Two, one at each upper corner of the door," he answered immediately, grabbing his size-changing sword. "Thirty meters away, give or take."

She nodded, her brow furrowing as she concentrated on sending her cards on the imagined path. After a few seconds, she looked at the others and nodded once before grabbing two cards and flinging them around the corner. Two seconds later, they heard a pair of explosions and shouts of alarm from the guards on duty.

" _Fire Dragon WING ATTACK!_ " Natsu bellowed as he dashed around the corner, casting waves of fire at the men standing between him and the door. They all went down instantly, none of them having resistance to magic attacks that a mage would possess. The fairies all ran past them, Wendy muttering something in the way of an apology to one of the groaning men while Natsu kicked open the door that led to Yukino and Lucy's room.

They found the pair inside, both of them looking up at the rescue party with wide eyes. "That was faster than we expected," the silver-haired girl remarked.

"And quieter, except for the explosions we just heard," Lucy added as she rose up from a comfortable-looking bed. "Seriously, I'm surprised that half the castle isn't on fire right now!" The room they had been confined to looked like a high-end apartment, a marked improvement on the prison cell she had been thrown into in her timeline, the Future Lucy thought idly. _At least we shouldn't have to worry about the Palace of Perdition this time… I hope._

"Man, this place is way nicer than your apartment, Lucy," Happy grinned. "Maybe we should just leave you here so you can have it all to yourself without me and Natsu to bother you."

"Eh, turns out we didn't really need the rescue, so if you wanna leave, you can," Lucy shrugged dismissively. "Truth is, Yukino and I could have broken out at any time we wanted. We were actually taking a nap until you guys decided to show up."

"Gee, you're welcome," Natsu deadpanned. "And if you could've escaped so easy, why didn't you?"

"Didn't wanna take all the fun out of your day," Lucy giggled at her friend. "But since you're here and ready to rescue us, what do you say we give it a shot, Yukino?"

"I think that would be wise," the other celestial mage nodded as she slipped a gold-trimmed ring onto her right pointer finger. "I would rather we get used to this new arrangement sooner, rather than later, and risking something going wrong." As she spoke, the others noticed that Lucy was putting on an identical ring, though she slipped it onto her left pointer finger.

"Hey, what's the holdup?" Cana called over her shoulder from where she was standing guard at the door. "Are we going or not?"

"Lucy and Yukino are being weird!" Happy called back.

"Well then tell them to stop it! I can hear guards on their way!" the card mage shot back irritably. "And they might have some wizards with them!"

"Oh dear, that was fast," Mirajane laughed nervously.

" _Fusion… HA!_ " Blinding light erupted from the room, obscuring all those in it from view.

* * *

A squad of knights came dashing around the corner a few moments later, stunned to see all of their comrades reduced to groaning, smoking heaps. The captain looked up to see a single figure striding forward from the room, their gait steady and confident.

It was a young woman dressed in a white vest with blue trim that left her midriff bare, a pair of silver-colored cloth gauntlets on her wrists, white, flowing pants topped with a blue sash, and a pair of white boots. Hanging from the folds of the sash was a small brown pouch that looked like it might hold a small vial or some other such object. Her eyes were brown, and her hair was colored silver with blond highlights streaking through her twin tails. On her right hand rested a pink Fairy Tail mark, outlined in silver.

" _Wow, you guys sure know how to make a mess,_ " she smirked as she eyed the downed soldiers. Her voice was strange- like that of two individuals speaking in perfect harmony, but coming from a single source.

"Someone wanna tell me what's going on here?!" another voice shouted from behind her, inside the room.

"Where are the two girls that were being detained?!" the captain demanded hotly.

In response, the girl in front of him raised an eyebrow and asked, " _They were being detained? I was under the impression that Minister Darton had invited them here for their own 'protection'. Now they're under arrest_?"

"It's above my paygrade to pay attention to the semantics," the soldier shot back. He leveled his spear at the woman as he noticed several figures gathering inside the doorway, growling, "Now where are they?"

The girl in front of the door shrugged and replied, " _Frankly, they've decided that it's none of your business. We'll just be going now_." So saying, she reached for the pouch at her waist.

"Take them into custody!" the captain shouted, his men rushing forward at his command.

" _Not a chance!_ " the girl shouted back, whipping something golden out of the pouch. " _Resonate! Gate of the Lion!_ " There was a burst of golden light, and when it faded, the girl had settled into a fighting stance, though her appearance remained the same as before.

"Now I'm really confused," Natsu muttered as he came out of the door, followed by the rest of the rescue team. "What're they doin?" Seeing them, the soldiers hesitated, though they kept up the charge toward the wizards.

" _Watch and you'll learn, Natsu,_ " the girl said with a smirk as she drew back her right wrist. " _Regulus… IMPACT!_ " She shot forward, her fist colliding with the closest soldier's face. The resulting explosion of light decimated the rest of the squad, leaving the path clear for the group of wizards to flee. " _All right!_ " she cheered, pumping her fist in the air. " _This magic rules!_ " As she turned to face her companions, they could now see the mark of the Zodiac Lion on her left hand, opposite to where her guild mark rested.

"Seriously, what's goin' on?!" Natsu screamed, grabbing at his head in frustrated confusion.

"Lucy and Yukino did the same thing as you and Gorun during your fight with the Twin Dragons," Cana explained wearily. "Gorun must've given you the rings when the army showed up at the bar, right?" She addressed the last part to the fused celestial wizard.

" _Yeah-huh_!" she chirped in response while holding up a 'victory' sign. " _Name's Lucino-the ultimate Celestial Wizard! Now let's blow this joint!_ "

"Wow, she's like the Edolas Lucy with how she acts," Wendy said as the girl took off down the hall, apparently eager to get out of the palace.

"Kinana did mention that this kind of transformation does create a new personality," Juvia said thoughtfully.

"We can analyze it later," Cana snapped, taking off at a run to catch up with their comrade. "Otherwise, she'll end up being the one that'll have to rescue us."

"Yeah!" Natsu grinned, his fists blazing. "I'm all fired up!"

* * *

Gorun had ceased his irregular flying habits and landed on the ground in a rural area, seemingly at random. However, the decision to go to ground was anything but random. _This should be the place, and I'm on time_ , he thought as he glanced around at the cross-street that Mavis had told him to go to once the fighting had stalled out.

His sensitive hearing picked up on a noise coming from the rooftops to his right, and the power level approaching could have hardly belonged to a stray cat. Turning to face that direction, he engaged his barrier technique just before a small, pink-haired figure leaped off the nearest roof.

"Sky god _Boreas!_ " the girl cried, sending a cyclone of black wind to smash into the energy barrier.

Gorun grunted with the surprising amount of effort it was taking to keep up the shield, but he held his ground. As soon as the attack cleared, he lowered the shield, though he kept on his guard as he raised his eyebrows at the young girl, Sherria. "Solid power, and not an awful attempt at a sneak attack," he told her. "Against most people, that would have worked."

"Yeah, but you're not most people, are you?" Sherria grinned fiercely at him from atop a lamppost. "You went toe-to-toe with Jura, after all. Lyon's still pretty shook up about it."

"Technically, I _beat_ Jura, if we're counting the MPF contest," Gorun grinned back. "So what makes you think that you'll win against someone strong enough to take on a Wizard Saint?"

"I've never gone up against Jura, so I don't know how I compare," Sherria shrugged. "What I do know is that I'm in it to win it for love and Lamia Scale- so that means I'll take down anyone who stands in the way of that, even if it's you! Sky god _Roar!"_

" _Masenko!_ " Gorun knew there wasn't enough time to charge up a proper Kamehameha, so he settled for the quicker, piercing attack. The two energies collided, but instead of cancelling each other out, Sherria's attack overwhelmed his and continued on to smash him into the street-painfully.

"Augh!" he cried out as he felt his leg wrench as he went tumbling down the road. _What the hell?!_ He thought, beginning to feel a trace of panic. _This girl's power level is nowhere near Jura's! How is she beating me down so easily?!_

There was little time to contemplate the issue as Sherria began to press her advantage, sending cyclone after black cyclone at him, grinning gleefully the whole time.

* * *

Back at the arena, Mavis was frowning heavily. "This isn't right," she muttered. "By all accounts, Gorun should be handling her easily."

"Instead, he looks like he can barely hold his own against this girl," Makarov muttered worriedly. Up until now, it seemed as though there might be no one in the contest stronger than the alien boy. The fact that Sherria was gaining a rapid upper hand was distressing indeed. "Is this girl from Lamia Scale really stronger than him?"

"No," Mavis said with negative shake of her head. "If she were stronger than Gorun, Wendy never would have had a chance against her. Something else is going on, but I just can't put my finger on it…"

"Oh no!" Kinana gasped, a thought occurring to her.

"You know something, Kinana?" Makarov asked her, looking at the girl, who had gone pale indeed.

"I… I think so," she nodded. "Sherria is a god slayer, right? Her magic affects beings of divine nature more than regular people?"

Makarov frowned thoughtfully, recalling his own encounter with a god slayer. "Having been on the receiving end of that kind of magic, I can tell you that it hurts regular folk just fine, my dear," he told her.

"Hold on a sec!" Romeo interjected before Kinana could reply. "Gorun told us that he used to work for a god, right?!" When the two masters exchanged a glance and nodded, the boy asked, "Well, then… Is it possible that Gorun's a god of some kind, too? That would explain why Sherria's attacks are hurting him so much!"

Both Mavis and Makarov's eyes widened as they exchanged glances. "Given everything the boy has told us about his past, I suppose it's not impossible…" the old man said aloud with a hint of renewed awe and fear of the boy.

"No!" Kinana all but shouted, stamping her foot for extra effect. "That's not it at all!"

"Then why are the god slayer's attacks affecting him so badly?" Mavis asked, even as the lachryma-vison screen showed Gorun managing to finally get in a hit with a Double Sunday.

"Well, he's not a god, per se," she told them. "But he's been trained by gods and is descended from people who have mastered god energies! I'm saying it's possible that while he's not divine by nature, he might have some traces of their energy within him because of his upbringing!"

"Hmm…" Mavis mused as she stared back up at the screen, which showed a now-healed Sherria laughing merrily at Gorun as he was caught up in a black wind funnel. "It's possible, but I suppose we won't know until we ask Gorun about it. Regardless, this might slightly change the journey, but our destination remains the same, so to speak."

"First master?" Makarov asked curiously.

"Gorun's job here is to stall Sherria long enough for Lyon and Gray to show up, at which point, the boys will take down Lamia Scale's wizards," she explained. "I was expecting Gorun to be able to hold Sherria off at his leisure, but I believe that he will pull through for us."

"Am I the only who noticed he's not using his golden takeover form?" Macao asked critically as he watched the fight. "What gives?"

"I asked him not to unless there was an emergency," Mavis answered. "The Saiyan Soul spell makes him too aggressive, and we risk him derailing the plan if he uses it unless there is no other option."

"Well, it looks like he might have to," Wakaba said with a wince as they all saw Gorun eat gravel for the sixth time in as many minutes. "Things aren't going his way."

"He'll pull through," Elfman said encouragingly. "That guy's a real man!"

"Go, mister Gorun!" Asuka called out, her voice tiny in comparison to the giant take-over wizard. "You can do it! Beat her up!"

* * *

"Well, this has been fun, but I think it's time to wrap it up," Sherria said cheerily. She was standing a few yards away from Gorun, who was on all fours, struggling to get to his feet while bleeding and bruised. He was sure that he had at least two broken ribs, maybe more. "You put up a really good fight, but honestly, I'm thought you'd be harder to take down."

"I'm not down yet," Gorun growled, pushing past the pain while wiping blood from his brow as he stood up.

"Yeah, but I get the feeling that if I hit you with one more good hit, you won't be bothering Lamia Scale anymore," Sherria replied, chipper as ever. "Time for the finale! _God Slayer Secret Art!_ " She whirled like a dancer, hands over her head, black feather-like apparitions appearing and multiplying in her palms as she twirled happily.

Gorun's eyes narrowed as he realized that she was right- if she did indeed strike him with that spell, he would be out of the competition. For the first time in years, he felt the impending dread of one who knows their defeat is imminent. _Forgive me, Master Mavis,_ he thought bleakly. _Maybe there's another way, but for the life of me, I just don't see it right now._ All of this went through his mind in less than a second.

" _Gathering: Clouds of Heaven!_ " Four black wings appeared in front of Sherria, and from her hands spewed forth dark feathers that shot out in a circular pattern that would plow directly into his chest if it hit.

Letting out a wordless scream of pain and determination, he willed the familiar golden magic circle to appear beneath his feet. Etherion burst from his body like a tidal wave, disrupting the god slayer's attack, causing the condensed feathers to lose their cohesive attack formation. They scattered and faded out of existence as Gorun stood up straighter, ignoring the pain in his chest as he glared at his opponent with green, angry eyes.

"Whoa, I was wondering if you were gonna do that!" Sherria giggled, though inwardly she squirmed at the sight of the rage in his gaze. Before he had seemed friendly enough, if determined to defeat her. Now, however, it seemed that he held nothing but fury in his heart.

"I suppose I should apologize in advance," he said, his voice carrying a slightly harsh cast to it now. "See, in this form, I always lose a little bit of my ability to reason, and that's when I'm in good health. Crummy as I feel right now, well…" A cold smile stretched across his face. "Let's see how well you stand up to a Super Saiyan when he's backed into-"

He suddenly paused mid-sentence, cocking his head and looking past Sherria. "Hmm…" he mused, his eyes narrowing again. He blinked, and suddenly those scary green orbs were locked back onto Sherria, causing her to take a pace back nervously. "Something's come up," he said, raising his pointer and middle fingers to his forehead. "We'll continue this when I've taken care of business."

"Hey!" Sherria exclaimed. "You're just gonna run out on the fight?! That's so lame!"

Gorun shrugged in response. "This is more important than our little scrap," he told her stiffly. "But I'll be more than happy to take you on again when I get done with this." _And maybe it'll give me time to figure out why your magic is causing me so much trouble,_ he added to himself.

"What's so important that it can't wait?!" Sherria demanded, feeling rather miffed.

Gorun's cold smile returned, sending shivers down the girl's spine. "Vengeance," he said before he disappeared.

* * *

"No, no, no!" Mavis cried. "What is he doing?! He's supposed to be distracting Sherria! Where'd he even go?!" The little girl was in tears, her plans having come apart in the span of a few short seconds. First, Kagura had appeared to challenge Erza instead of Minerva, which went against Mavis' calculations. Then, Gorun had gone Super Saiyan. As if that weren't enough, Minerva had appeared to briefly fight the two swordswomen before managing to blackmail them into fighting each other in order to try and rescue Millianna, seeing as the Sabertooth woman had the girl in her clutches. Now Gorun had apparently abandoned his part of the plan altogether! It also didn't help that Gajeel's fight against Rogue was currently featuring a sudden reversal of fortunes, and not in Fairy Tail's favor.

The whole thing was a mess, Mavis thought as she buried her face in her hands.

"Er, First Master?" Makarov's voice did not sound encouraging. "You… might want to see this."

 _I don't want to look,_ she thought stubbornly. _I don't want to look, I don't want to look…_

She looked.

* * *

"Now, if you ladies don't mind, I'll be watching from a… safer distance," Minerva smirked cruelly.

"There'll be some distance, but it's not safe anywhere," a low voice growled from behind her, causing her to stiffen with surprise. The next instant, she was flying with a massive pain in her back from where Gorun had smashed his foot into the lower part of her spine. The two women watched her fly, both of them wide-eyed at the speed and brutality of the blow that had sent her soaring while they had both been barely able to put a scratch on the arrogant woman.

"Erza, take care of this one," Gorun ordered coldly as he eyed his target with a strange gleam in his eye. "Minerva is mine."

Noticing the injuries covering her comrade, Erza started to say, "Are you sure you can-"

"I'll be fine," Gorun grinned, but it was not his usual, friendly smile. There was something disturbing about the way he was smiling now, Erza thought. "After all, my people grow stronger the more intense the battle becomes."

Then he was gone in a blur of golden light, leaving the two sword maidens to their duel.

* * *

"Well, at least he went to help Erza," Makarov muttered as they watched the scene unfold. "That's something, right First Master?"

"I'm not so sure that he went to help Erza as much as to fight Minerva," Mavis replied, having regained her composure. "And I don't like the way his energy feels right now. It's becoming… darker, more convoluted."

"Well, he did seem to have it out for Sabertooth," Laki said, the normally quiet wood-make wizard speaking up for once.

"Which it precisely why I arranged the plan so that he would have minimal contact with them," Mavis explained. "His only encounters should have been with Rufus at the beginning, and Sting at the end. I suppose I underestimated his desire to get revenge for Lucy and Yukino."

"It's not just that," Kinana said quietly. "He's… in pain, confused. That fight with Sherria might have messed with his head more than we originally thought."

"You think that him nearly losing to the god slayer threw him off enough to abandon the plan?" Macao asked dubiously. "I mean, the kid's kind of a hothead, but he's usually a lot more careful than that."

"I know, but think about it," Kinana urged. "He's spent most of his life being in control of any fight that he comes across. Now that something's come along to force him to realize that there are still things he doesn't have control of- not to mention the whole time travel thing that's been going on, which he has a bad history with- it's no surprise that he's feeling on edge."

"That's putting it lightly," Mavis said solemnly. "I'm almost afraid for this Minerva woman, knowing what Gorun is capable of."

"I _am_ afraid for her," Kinana admitted. "Because I don't think any of us really know what Gorun is truly capable of."

* * *

He caught up with Minerva as she managed to get to her feet, fury etched into her face. "You dare lay hands on the Queen of Sabertooth?!" They found themselves in one of the rural areas of the city, though the streets were plenty wide to allow for heavy traffic flow- or in this case, dodging potential energy blasts.

"Yeah, I dare," Gorun snarled, his energy blazing. "But if you prefer, I can take a more hands-off approach. _Kienzan!_ " The destructive disk whirled toward his enemy at blinding speed, narrowly missing taking off her head, and instead slicing off a good chunk of one of her braids and more of her raven locks.

Now she was positively scarlet, fuming as she snapped her fingers, smiting Gorun in the chest with an energy burst. "You will pay dearly for the humiliation you have inflicted on my guild!" she screamed.

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you!" Gorun roared, his rage fueling his body past the pain of his broken ribs. He took flight as Minerva began setting off explosion after explosion around him, zigzagging all round her and retaliating with bursts of etherion every few seconds. Eventually, he stopped this pattern and shot straight up, smirking once he reached a safe height. "That should do it," he muttered.

"Do you really think you're safe up there?!" Minerva sneered at him. "My spatial distortion magic can reach you anywhere!" She raised her hands and began to cast a new spell.

"And what makes you feel safe down there?" Gorun snarled back. "I would say you should have seen this coming, but I suppose you weren't here on day one of the games." So saying, he gestured at all of the glowing points of light that were surrounding Minerva.

She had just enough time to register that each of the hundreds of lights were miniature magic circles before Gorun bellowed, " _Hellzone Grenade!_ " Then the energy blasts came to life, engulfing Minerva in a cloud of dust and fiery light. All the while, Gorun could be seen laughing from above, until the explosions ceased, and the dust began to settle.

"Had enough?" he chortled.

"Quite," a voice from behind him hissed. Then there was a blinding pain in his back that went through to the front of his stomach.

* * *

" _Gorun_!" Kinana screamed while everyone else grimaced or looked away around her. Minerva had used her magic to punch a hole through Gorun's stomach, on the right side below his ribcage. The boy immediately coughed up blood and began to fall, unable to maintain the concentration necessary to stay in the air.

Bisca gathered the distraught girl into a hug as she began to tremble, seeing her boyfriend so badly injured. _I don't know what's been worse, seeing him starting to lose it, or watching him get run through like that,_ the gunslinger thought with a grimace. _I'm almost starting to wish that the First Master hadn't let him compete if this is what's happening to him._

"Please be okay…" Kinana was mumbling into Bisca's shoulder. "Please be okay, please…"

* * *

"Now _this_ is more like it," Minerva laughed as she walked up to Gorun, who was struggling to breathe through the pain. Raising her foot extra high, she brought it down on his wound, causing him to scream in agony, bringing a dark smile to her lips. "Ah yes, crushed in the dirt beneath the boot of the strongest wizard from the strongest guild," she purred as he writhed in pain. "Lovely."

"Ach… head…" he groaned, barely audible.

"Is that a surrender I hear?" she chuckled darkly, leaning closer as if to try and hear him better. "Speak up, then. The judges need to be able to hear you if you're going to give up."

"I said…" he grunted, drawing in deeper breath to try and support his words. "You're… _dead_." The next thing Minerva knew, Gorun had grabbed her hair that was dangling next to his face and used it to jerk her head into his fist hard enough that there was an audible _crunch_ that heralded her nose breaking. She screamed and recoiled, reflex tears blinding her for a moment.

Gorun used that moment to slip a senzu bean out of his pocket and crunch on it quickly before swallowing and feeling the healing effects wash over him, as well as the increase in strength he could feel from a significant zenkai boost. There was no denying it- Sherria and Minerva had wounded him far worse than anyone ever had before. However, it was now going to work in his favor.

Despite the debilitating agony he had been subjected to, Gorun had managed to remain in his ascended state, and now that he was stronger than before, the air around him seemed positively aflame with golden energy.

"You… You bastard!" Minerva screamed at him. "You've brought shame on Sabertooth for the last time!"

"Your guild was swamped in shame the minute your father took control of it," Gorun retorted. "My guild at least has always been honorable, true to their word." The golden energy began to condense, whirling around Gorun in a tornado-like pattern, growing faster and more intense by the second.

"Ha!" Minerva laughed through her shattered nose. "A guild incapable of casting aside the chaff is unworthy to call itself number one! You're nothing but a group of injured animals licking each other's wounds, waiting for the hunters to come and slaughter you in your den!"

"Then welcome to the jungle," Gorun growled, a golden magic circle appearing beneath his feet, much like his Saiyan Soul spell. However, in addition to casting golden light, this one crackled with electricity. "But, if you think to find easy prey here, you will only find a grave with your name marked on it- because those people that you call animals are my family. And will protect them until my _dying breath!_ " The magic circle beneath his feet exploded with brilliance, accompanied by a raging, primal roar.

When the light died down, Gorun had changed. He still had the golden hair and aura, but now his locks stood up even straighter, and electricity crackled along and around his body. His eyes were still green and filled with anger, but where before they had been filled with white-hot fury, now they froze his enemy with cold rage.

Gorun wasn't screaming about how he wanted revenge, or trying to defend his guild's honor. He wasn't trying to slander Sabertooth or Minerva. As a matter of fact, now that the magic circle was gone, he wasn't making a sound.

* * *

All the way across Crocus, back at the stadium, everyone in Fairy Tail was looking at the static-filled screens with wide eyes. The reason wasn't because of the blurry image, or even because of the look in their comrade's eyes.

"Oh no…" Kinana said in a small voice. "He actually did it."

Every single one of them could feel Gorun's magic power easily from the length of a city away, and the pressure he was giving off was frightening.

* * *

From inside the castle, the rescue team paused as they all looked out a window at the city outside. All of them could feel Gorun's energy rising, dwarfing everyone else in the city.

"Wonder what got him so fired up," Natsu wondered with an impish grin. "Bet he's having an awesome fight right now."

" _Keep your head in the fight here, hotshot!_ " Lucino reprimanded him as she used Taurus' strength to backhand a royal guard into his companions. Apparently one of the perks to having so much celestial magic at her disposal was that she could 'resonate' with the spirits contracted to her counterparts in order to use their powers without even summoning them, which helped her to conserve her magic power.

And right now, it seemed like they would need all the power they could get. They hadn't made it a hundred yards when a full platoon of soldiers appeared to bar their way. Each of the Fairy Tail wizards had sprung into action, easily decimating the first wave of soldiers.

But for every man they knocked out, it seemed like three would rise to take their place. Their progress had been reduced to a slow crawl throughout the afternoon, and none of them had been contacted by Warren, even though they were behind schedule.

Mirajane mentioned that this was likely due to some kind of telepathic interference, but it didn't really matter. The bottom line seemed to be either they beat half the royal army, or they would all end up in a prison cell. _I hope our friends are having more luck in the games,_ the she-devil thought as she knocked out a squad of soldiers with a swipe of her claws.

* * *

"Ready to die?" Gorun asked, his voice rougher and colder than ever before.

"You… you think you can kill me?!" Minerva demanded, trying to sound more haughty than terrified, and not doing a very good job.

Gorun seemed to ponder her words for a moment, then answered, "There's nothing to think about, Minerva. I'm going to kill you. End of."

"Let's see you try when you have another hole in your stomach!" She screeched. "Lo hoset! Lo hosetia!" She thrust her hands in front of her, a dark rainbow-colored beam emerging from her palms like a technique all too familiar to the Saiyan boy. "Ilda rogue!"

"Actually, it's pronounced; _Kamehameha!_ " he snarled. In his newly ascended state, it took less than a second for Gorun to gather the energy necessary for a ki wave strong enough to shred her hasty attack and send her rolling down the street.

"Ungh…" she groaned as she got to her feet, noticing with growing horror that the boy was walking slowly toward her, unhurried, unconcerned. Now she finally bothered to realize just how vast the differences between their powers actually were. Before, he had been stronger, though not by enough for it to be a clear advantage. Now, he was more than twice her equal.

This wasn't going to be a hunt, or even a battle, she realized. It was to be a slaughter. "What are you?!" she demanded, her voice cracking with fear.

"This is what is what you get when a Super Saiyan ascends again," Gorun replied, knowing his words would mean nothing to the stricken woman. "But for simplicity's sake, we call it 'Super Saiyan 2.' And it's what's going to send you to the grave, Minerva."

"S-Stop!" the woman cried, eyes wide with terror for the first time since she had been a child.

"No," said the demon with golden hair and green eyes. "I told you, didn't I…? I warned you when you tried to break one of my friends… That this would only end when I put you in the dirt!"

"No, please!" she begged. "You've won! Let me go!" She was close to tears, but she hardly noticed. All she cared about was escaping the entity that seemed to personify strength itself, the monster that was raging at her, preparing to end her life.

"I will not!" he shouted, energy flaring even brighter. "I will have recompense for your guild's crimes against Yukino and your actions against Lucy! I. Demand. _BLOOD!_ " Energy pooled between his hands as he stopped walking, forcing her to literally shield her eyes against what would be her end.

" _Kame… hame…_ " he intoned.

Acting on instinct, Minerva did the only thing she could think of to save herself. Throwing up a wall of her magic between herself and Gorun, she willed another energy sheet to appear behind him. Now if he fired that massive laser of his- which was sure to be even stronger in this newly ascended state- he would only hit himself. A dark, cruel smile graced her lips as she realized that even on the brink of defeat, she would turn this around and seize victory for her guild- the only way it could have ever possibly have ended.

That was her last thought before Gorun vanished from her line of sight.

" _HA!_ " She heard him bellow from right behind her.

It was the last thing she heard before a titanic blue laser enveloped and vaporized her along with several miles of the city itself. The blast continued all the way until it took off the peak of a mountain range several days' journey away in a brilliant explosion that lit up the early afternoon sky.

When the light faded and the dust settled, there stood Gorun among the rubble of several homes, businesses, and the street itself. He spat on the ground and muttered, "Good riddance to bad garbage."

* * *

Not so far away, Rogue was actually too busy being distracted by a newly powered-up Gajeel to notice Gorun's elevated strength. His eyes widened as he beheld the Iron Dragon Slayer's skin hardening into black metal while his eyes glowed an ominous blue, even as shadows seeped from his lengthy hair.

"Iron… and shadow?" he breathed.

"Hehe…" Gajeel chuckled darkly.

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, Laxus was gasping for breath as he exchanged blows with the Wizard Saint, Jura. Scorch marks and torn-up sections of stone littered the block, a testament to their fierce battle.

He was reaching his limit, but that didn't matter to Laxus. All that mattered was defeating his opponent for his guild, the family that had given him a second chance that he didn't deserve. He would take anyone down for them, be it a god Slayer or a Wizard Saint.

Reaching deep within himself, Laxus summoned forth every last bit of power that he had, zipping a half a block away from his opponent before skidding to a stop, his eyes fixed on the bald man, who grinned fiercely at him. _All right, First Master,_ the blond man thought. _Time to see if this spell of yours does the trick._

He slammed his wrists together, palms facing out toward Jura, charging his magic power as fast as he could into a single attack. Lightning blazed from his palms, flying wildly in all directions, and causing Jura's eyes to widen.

"But that's-!" he began, but he got no further.

" _Lightning Dragon's FINAL FLASH!_ " Laxus bellowed, sending all of his power at the Wizard Saint in one devastating, overwhelming onslaught. It wasn't quite the spectacle that Gorun had given when he blasted the Magic Power Finder, but there wasn't a lot in it.

Jura was immediately overwhelmed, the lightning engulfing him, electrocuting him unceasingly, mercilessly, until darkness claimed his mind. However, just before he passed out, he managed to smile and say, "Well done…"

* * *

"I surrender to you, Erza," Kagura said heavily, her sword falling from her hands. The young woman was defeated, mentally and physically. But amid the whirling tempest of emotions in her heart, her shoulder registered the gentle contact of the mighty flame-haired woman's hand standing above her.

"Someday soon, we'll talk," Erza promised her.

* * *

"Say _goodnight_!" Gajeel shouted as he yanked Rogue out of his own shadow and tossed him skyward. " _Iron Shadow Dragon… ROAR!_ " A shrapnel-laced shadow beam rivaling Gorun's Super Kamehameha in size shot after the dark Dragon Slayer, swallowing him in pain and darkness until the light of consciousness left his eyes, and Gajeel was left standing victorious.

 _Didn't even need the First Master's fancy spell,_ he thought with a weary grin as he released his new power, swaying slightly as he realized just how exhausted he really was.

* * *

"Well, look at that…" Gorun mused as he stared up at the scoreboards that displayed the remaining teams' scores.

Current Score of the Grand Magic Games, Final Day

 _Fairy Tail: 68 pts_

 _Sabertooth: 50 pts_

As the scores stood, Fairy Tail had won. The games weren't officially over until one team stood on the field, but there was no way that Sting- the only person left in the competition that wasn't a Fairy Tail wizard- could make up on that score, even if he somehow managed to beat Gorun and his comrades.

The last point scored by Sabertooth had been Minerva's, as a very beaten Millianna had popped back into existence once Gorun had killed the woman imprisoning her. Since she had been captured and beaten into such a condition by the Sabertooth woman, the point gained for defeating the cat-girl was awarded to the corresponding guild posthumously.

Upon seeing the beaten girl- and the brown exceed that had appeared with her- Gorun had reverted back to his base form and gotten them to a safe place so that they could recover from their ordeal. Then he dusted himself off and took off to find Gray.

He had found the boy struggling to hold off Lyon and Sherria, but with his arrival, they quickly turned the battle around. Gray and Lyon were too evenly matched, and Gorun still couldn't make sense of why Sherria's magic affected him so badly, so they quickly switched opponents at the first opportunity.

Gorun swiftly overwhelmed Lyon with his Super Saiyan form and a Big Bang Attack that reduced his ice-make magic to snowflakes. Gray flash-froze Sherria so she couldn't heal herself before sending her flying with an ice-make cannon.

Now they stood examining the scoreboard and exchanging grins like schoolboys. "Guess we should find the others so we can hunt down Sting and wrap this thing up," Gray suggested.

"Or we can follow the signal that he's giving us," Gorun countered, pointing up at the shining white symbol of Sabertooth that stood out in the night sky. As soon as Gray was looking at it, he added, "For the record, I was gonna say he was there."

Gray just laughed as they began their trek towards where the White Dragon Slayer was waiting for them, knowing that their friends would be there to join them.

* * *

Back at the coliseum, Kinana found herself crying wordlessly. If anyone had asked why she was crying then, she would not have been able to give them a definite answer. Maybe it was because she had just seen how dangerous Gorun could be when he was backed into a corner. Perhaps it was because he wasn't the one lying dead on the battlefield.

Maybe it was a combination of the two.

" _Fire Dragon ROAR!_ "

"Sky Dragon _Wing Attack!_ "

" _Eat a Sand Buster, chumps!_ "

The group had found themselves backed against a wall, but they were making the army pay for it dearly. Soldiers, mages, even a specialized executioner squad all came to challenge them, and each of them met the same fate- winding up as beaten mess on the floor.

Lucino had really proven to be a surprise powerhouse, holding her own alongside Natsu and Mirajane in terms of destructive abilities. She also proved to be a lot more self-confident than either of her counterparts, bordering on arrogant, not to mention somewhat antagonizing as she egged Natsu on to see which one of them could take out more soldiers, a challenge which the fire wizard eagerly agreed to.

Cana, Juvia, and Wendy mostly provided support to their comrades as they fought their through the palace while the exceeds remained on standby, waiting to whisk the first of them to fall out of danger if the situation called for it. Where they would fly to if their comrades were wounded was anyone's guess, but they would cross that bridge if they came to it.

"Man, these guys don't give up!" Cana complained after a particularly large group of soldiers met their defeat at Natsu's flames and Lucino's arrows, courtesy of her ability to use Sagittarius' bow.

"Hah! Bring 'em on!" Natsu crowed, apparently having the time of his life. "I can do this all day!"

" _That it, hotshot_?!" Lucino teased him with a big grin. " _I can go all week_!"

* * *

"So, you really wanna go down swinging?" Gorun asked with a raised brow as he stared down Sting. The White Dragon Slayer had waited for the five fairies to gather, saying that he would fight them all at once.

"I haven't got anything left to lose," the blond slayer growled, his blue eyes narrowing. "I've already lost Lector forever- thanks to you guys, I'm never gonna see my best friend again."

"Whoa, whoa, back up," Gray said with a frown. "We didn't do anything to your cat. I don't know what your deal really is, but if you're gonna go picking fights with our guild, you should have a better reason than something made-up."

"There's nothing made-up about this!" Sting shouted angrily, clenching his fist at the ice-make wizard. "If I had secured the win for Sabertooth, then Milady would have returned Lector to me! But with the way the scores are now, it's impossible! You went and got too far ahead on the board, and now Lector's _gone forever_!" Tears were threatening to spill from his eyes as he shouted the last part at them.

"Okay, you need to cool it," Gorun said sternly, his brow now bent downward in a frown. "One, Minerva isn't in any condition to be holding hostages; I eighty-sixed her myself. Two, Lector is the brown cat, right?"

Sting recoiled as if struck before he asked, "You… What did you do to milady?"

"Eighty-sixed her?" Gorun repeated with a questioning inflection. "Is that not a common phrase around here?"

"Minerva is dead," Erza told Sting bluntly. "She was holding a friend of mine hostage as well- Gorun rescued them both."

"Your friend is alive and well," Gorun affirmed. "I left him with Erza's friend since he wasn't in any condition to get around on his own yet."

"Y-You…" Sting said, falling to his knees. "Lector's alive?"

Erza and Gorun nodded before the redhead's eyes widened slightly in surprise and she nudged the Saiyan boy with an elbow. Following her gaze, Gorun grinned slightly and walked up to Sting, dropping to one knee in front of him.

"Hold off on the waterworks for a minute, pal," he said as the dragon slayer looked up hopefully at him. Without another word, Gorun extended his right arm and pointed off to the side, indicating a grinning Millianna, who was holding a sleeping brown exceed in a blue vest.

" _Lector!_ " Sting cried out, but this time the volume of his voice came from joy instead of anguish.

In less than a moment, he had his best friend, safe and sound once again.

Only minutes after that, he surrendered to the other wizards.

The Grand Magic Games were over, and fireworks began shooting into the sky all over the coliseum to celebrate that Fairy Tail had risen to the top once again.

* * *

Unfortunately for the rescue team, they were still too busy being swarmed by soldiers to notice anything other than the fact that it was nighttime outside. The royal army truly seemed endless, and even Natsu and Lucino's attacks were becoming smaller and more simplistic as they strove to fend off the soldiers sent to capture them.

"I don't… have much left in me," Wendy gasped as she stepped back behind Mirajane, who wordlessly beat back the two men that were moving to engage the little girl.

"Same here," Cana panted, sweating as she reclaimed some of her tarot cards that were flying through the air. "I seriously thought that they'd have run outta guys by now…"

"I'm beginning to run out of moisture to work with," Juvia said, looking every bit as exhausted as the others. "I need a source of water soon, or else I won't be able to attack without dehydrating myself."

"I don't mind a good brawl, but we're on a time crunch!" Natsu growled. Looking over his shoulder at Future Lucy, he asked, "How long do we have?"

"I don't know exactly, but not long," she replied, face drawn and pale with fear. "If we don't rejoin the others soon, it'll just be a repeat of last time!"

"Then we blow 'em all away in one shot!" Natsu snarled. "Cos I am _not_ making you live through that crap again, Luce!" The girl gasped slightly at his use of his fond nickname for her, but he was too busy with the fight to notice her reaction. Instead, he turned to their card mage and said, "Yo, Cana!"

"What's up?" she asked heavily.

"Hit me, Juvia, and Wendy with the good stuff!" he grinned. "We're ending this now!"

" _What are you planning now, hotshot?_ " Lucino asked him as she dropped a few of the men down some holes she had created with Virgo's powers.

"Ace card," he grinned.

"More like a joker, but he's not wrong," Cana said with a tired grin as she readied three magic cards. "All right guys, after this I'm gonna be out of steam. Make it count!" She flung the cards in the air, each one heading for a different wizard.

The one that went towards Natsu exploded into a raging inferno. The card that came to rest at Wendy's feet erupted into a cyclone. Juvia's card whirled above her a few times before a cloud formed above her, and she became drenched in rainwater. Cana maintained consciousness just long enough to see each of them absorb their respective element before darkness claimed her. She fell into Pantherlily's large arms with a satisfied smile, proud that she had been able to give her all on behalf of her friends.

"I've got her," he assured the others. "She's just tired from using too much magic."

"Thanks, Lily," Mirajane smiled, the expression a strange one on her demonic face.

"All right, let's do it!" Natsu laughed, wiping away embers from his mouth.

"I guess now's as good a time as any," Wendy grimaced, raising both of her hands above her head, wind whirling and congealing over her palms.

"I suggest we all attack one after the other- Wendy first, then Natsu, then me," Juvia said, her brows bent downward in fierce concentration as she placed her right pointer and middle fingers against her forehead.

" _Seriously, what's going on?!_ " Lucino demanded.

"The First Master gave us some cool new spells to use," Natsu grinned, placing his hands by his ribs, a ball of fire quickly coming to life between his palms. "Check it out- now, Wendy!"

"I'm on it!" Wendy exclaimed as a new wave of soldiers came charging down the hall. Flinging her arms forward so that her palms faced the oncoming men, she shouted, "Sky Dragon _Double Sunday!_ " Two magic circles appeared before her, one in front of each hand, and blasted forth twin tornados that bowled over the reinforcements, sending them flying back the way they had come.

However, from behind them were coming even more soldiers. "Aw man!" Wendy complained.

"No worries, kid, I got this!" Natsu cackled, the orb at his side growing larger and brighter. "I've been wanting to try this one since Gorun first showed us!" He settled into a deeper stance before thrusting his hands forward, an orange magic circle appearing before him as he bellowed, " _Fire Dragon KAMEHAMEHA!_ " An orange pillar of dragon fire shot out, racing over the unconscious bodies of the men they had already defeated before crashing into the leader of the new wave of enemies. An explosion rocked the palace, frying all of the men where they stood, though the fire and heat went away just before becoming lethal.

"Hahahaha!" Natsu crowed. "That was awesome!

Noticing a lack of new soldiers, Mirajane reverted back to her human form as she turned to the rain woman in their party. "Guess you can hold off on your attack, Juvia," she said, relief evident in her voice.

"Not yet," the bluenette said, her voice strained. "There's still… someone coming. And I can sense… they have a great amount of power."

"In that case, the minute they come into view, blast them with everything you've got so we can finally get out of here," Mirajane said warily.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a dark, echoing voice. Seconds later, the group was surrounded by shadows that reached up and swallowed the unconscious soldiers, leaving the Fairy Tail wizards alone in the hallway.

"What the hell…?" Natsu gaped. "Who's there?!" He directed his shout down the hallway that he had just blasted, where the shadows seemed the deepest.

" _You better show yourself unless you want a face-full of Leo's light!_ " Lucino added hotly.

"My, my, what a cold reception for someone who's only trying to help," the voice said as the shadows began to recede, even as a man stepped out of them.

He was tall, with mostly dead-white hair, though a shock of raven locks did obscure the right side of his pale face. The eye that was visible was blood-red, with black arcane markings outlining the orb. He was dressed in black and white topped with a red vest.

"Wait a sec…" Natsu said with wide eyes as he finally recognized the scent of the person in front of him. "Rogue?"

"The Sabertooth guy?!" Happy exclaimed.

"Why is he here?!" Carla demanded.

"Hello, everyone," the man said with a grim smile. "We have a lot to discuss."

* * *

 **Gorun: I'm surprised we finished the entire final day in one chapter.**

 **Saiki: I'm surprised you actually went and killed Minerva.**

 **Gorun: Oh please, this all based on shonen jump worlds- no one stays dead!**

 **Mataras: Light Yagami, Simon, Ur, an entire planet full of Saiyans, Master Hades, I got more.**

 **Saiki: Why couldn't I have been written by one of those people? There's more than a few people in my series I could do without.**

 **Gorun: Wait, so is Minerva actually dead, then?!**

 **Mataras: You lasered her at Super Saiyan 2, you tell me.**

 **Gorun: Oh jeez... I feel like this is gonna come back to bite me.**

 **Mataras: Probably, but right I'm a little more concerned about the people that are gonna try and crucify me for 'nerfing' SSJ 2. So I'll just say this in my defense: _Power levels are inconsistent bullcrap!_**

 **Gorun: Why give the transformation, then?**

 **Mataras: Oh come on, what kind of DBZ story would this be if I didn't throw in a new transformation every now and again? Also, you gotta admit you looked pretty cool. So, there. Merry Christmas!**

 **Gorun: We'll see you all again on New Years, 2019!**

 **Saiki: There you will see the war begin in earnest.**

 **Mataras: Next time on Saiyan Tail- Eclipse!**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

Hisui's jaw set in a firm line, even as the massive doors to Eclipse finally finished opening. "I did what I had to for the good of the kingdom," she said stubbornly. "With the energy inside that gate, we can save our kingdom from the oncoming dragons."

"Like hell you can!" Gorun shouted, his attack nearly done charging. "I'm blowing this gate to dust, and then you're gonna answer to the Magic Council for using a spell from the book of Zeref!"

" _Gorun!_ " Lucino cried, her face as white as a sheet as she moved away from the fallen colonel, towards the Saiyan boy and the Eclipse Gate. " _You need to destroy the gate_ , now!"

"I'm charging the attack as fast as I can," he grunted, even as a yellow ball congealed in his palms. "I'm nearly there, what's the rush?!"

" _Grandpa Crux- one of Lucy's spirits- just passed me a message!_ " the fused girl said urgently. " _He says that there's no possible way for this thing to be weaponized! It's just a gate that connects points in time!_ "

"Ya don't say?!" the ascended Super Saiyan replied pithily. "Can you tell me something I don't know?"

" _This is no time to be a smartass!_ " she shot back. " _The eclipsed full moon is messing with the inner mechanisms, forcing it to lock onto a single point in time!_ "

Gorun didn't bother to wait for her next words- he had a pretty good idea of what they were going to be. Besides, he was done gathering energy, which meant… "Stand back!" he bellowed, the orb in his hands swelling to burst. " _Final Fla-!_ "

BLAM!

In an instant, the energy in his hands was snuffed out as a large, scaly forearm burst out of the gate and crashed into the boy, sending him flying through several dozen rows of bushes, and out of sight.


	14. Eclipse

**A/N: Happy 2019, everyone! I hope you all great holidays like I did, surrounded by family and/or friends.**

 **Now, let us see what happens to our Fairy Tail friends with the Grand Magic Games now complete, and a dragon horde on the horizon!**

 **OP Song: Masayume Chasing (Original or cover by Amalee)**

 **P.S. Still haven't seen the DBS movie yet, so NO SPOILERS! I know SSJ God Vegeta and Gogeta are in it, but that's it! NOTHING ELSE!**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 11_

 **Eclipse**

"We did it," Gray said with the biggest grin that Gorun had ever seen on him. "We did it! We're number one!"

"We did it," Gorun repeated with a half-laugh. He watched his comrades rejoice with smiles and shared congratulations, with even Gajeel cracking a grin. He too wore a smile, but the look in his eyes was a hollow one. _We won the Grand Magic Games,_ he thought. _But can we survive the Dragon King Festival to come?_

Future Lucy had told them the original name of the games, from the era when human slaves competed- often to the death- for the entertainment of their dragon masters. In modern times, there were few who knew of the current festivities' violent origins, but the irony would be present nonetheless, he thought. Just as they would be celebrating their human strength, the dragons would return to remind them of the terror they had inflicted upon them four hundred years ago.

He shook his head, his long hair swishing quickly as he chased the morbid thoughts away. _No,_ he thought, his eyes flashing emerald for a fraction of a second as he watched Erza and Gray give one another a one-armed embrace while Gajeel and Laxus exchanged a fist-bump. _I can change their future. I_ will _change their future!_

"Hate to interrupt the celebrations, guys," he said firmly, causing the others to turn toward him. "But we have a king we need to see."

"Wait a sec," Sting's voice said before anyone could respond. "I got a question before you guys go."

"Actually, much as I hate to admit, we need you to come with us," Gorun said as he turned back to face the blond slayer, who looked surprised. "You can ask whatever it is you wanted to ask us on the way."

"Erzy?" Millianna asked as she drew closer to the group. "What's this guy talking about? Why do you need to go see the king?"

Gorun let the girl answer her friend as he gestured for Sting to walk with them as he reached into his pocket. "What is it?" he asked the other young man.

"Well now I got a bunch more questions, but I really wanted to know why Natsu didn't compete in the games today," Sting replied. "Your guys' fusion thing totally kicked mine and Rogue's asses, so I was surprised when you didn't do it again today."

Gorun let out a long sigh before he muttered, "We have a lot to catch you and Rogue up on." Pulling out a small sack from his pocket, he undid the string holding it closed and reached inside. When his hand emerged, he had five senzu beans in his palm. Calling his comrades closer, he raised his voice and said, "Come and get one, guys. If Lucy's timetable was accurate, we all need to be in top shape for what's about to hit."

He was going to say more, but he was interrupted when a hologram of the pumpkin man, Mato, appeared in the sky, much like he had on the first night of the preliminary round. However, unlike then, the Games' mascot was not in a cheery mood. "All competitors in this year's Grand Magic Games, regardless of whether you passed the preliminary round or not are requested to gather in the King's garden for a very important announcement," he said. "Please do hurry, pumpkins, there's not a lot of time!" With that, he vanished as soon as he had appeared.

"Does that have something to do with what you were gonna tell me?" Sting asked curiously.

"I hope so," Gorun said dryly. "Or else we may have just run out of time."

* * *

" _What're you doing here, Rogue?_ " Lucino asked the shadowy man roughly. " _And what's with the new hairdo?_ " The others guessed that the fused wizard's antagonism stemmed from Yukino, though the silver-haired girl would have never had the nerve to speak so roughly to the dragon slayer.

The man paused and frowned at the young woman, not recognizing her. "And just who are you?" he asked coldly. "I don't recall seeing you among Fairy Tail's number before."

"Who our guild recruits is none of your business," Mirajane said with some force. "And I'm curious to hear your answer, too. You're supposed to be participating in the games with your guild- if you really are Rogue, anyway. You hardly look like him."

Rogue's visible eyebrow rose fractionally, but before he could speak, Natsu interrupted to say, "It's Rogue, all right. I never forget a smell, especially other dragon slayers."

"Then why is he here?" Carla asked in an undertone, eyeing the man with distrust. Something about the way that he was carrying himself and the fact that he had possibly terminated so many people so callously was unnerving in the extreme.

"I am not the Rogue that you are all familiar with," he answered. "I come from seven years in the future- a future where not even ten percent of the human population lives, and dragons rule as masters over the ashes that remain."

The others winced at the blunt description of what was to come, but since they had been told of the situation by Future Lucy, it wasn't so much of a shock. "So you came back from the future, eh?" Natsu asked him warily.

"I'm not the only one…" Future Lucy murmured to herself.

"That means that he must have been the person that Gorun sensed on day three of the games," Wendy muttered in a low tone.

"Yes, I have been here for a little while," Rogue said in answer to Natsu's question. "And I have but one goal: to use Eclipse."

The others regarded him with surprise for a moment, Happy muttering in an aside to Carla, "Gorun won't like that."

"We can worry about that later, tomcat," Carla chided him. In a slightly louder tone so that Rogue would hear, she added, "Let's at least hear why he wants to use it."

"As you know, Eclipse can be used to travel through time," Rogue explained patiently. "However, the device has a secondary purpose- as an offensive weapon, it can unleash an energy blast comparable to an etherion cannon."

"The sacred light of the magic council?" Mirajane asked dubiously. "It has that much energy?"

"In this day and age, yes," Rogue nodded. "The time that I come from has a damaged Eclipse Gate, one that cannot function as a weapon. That is why I have come- if we don't use the Eclipse Cannon, ninety percent of humanity, along with our entire way of life, will perish."

"Well, at least that makes it simple for us," Natsu said, finally grinning a bit. "All we gotta do now is go see the king and tell him about this plan of yours!"

"Heh," Rogue grinned back. "Already taken care of. The Princess Hisui is preparing to use the gate even as we speak."

" _How can she get it to work without Lucy or Yukino?_ " Lucino demanded. " _I thought it functioned with celestial wizardry, and without a celestial wizard, the gate is useless._ "

"You are mistaken," Rogue said as his smirk grew. "The gate only requires the zodiac keys to unlock it, nothing more. The princess apparently 'borrowed' their keys during their stay here, and has already used it to unlock the door to time. When the time is ripe, she will unleash into the swarm of dragons, securing mankind's future." Then his grin faded in place of a scowl as he said, "And now that I've spilled my secrets, I think that it's only fair that you do the same. Who is this girl that knows of celestial matters?"

" _I'm Lucino, ya edge-lord wannabe,_ " the girl sniffed imperiously. " _I'm a fusion between Lucy and Yukino- not to mention the greatest celestial wizard that's ever lived. And I don't really like the fact that you and the princess 'borrowed' their keys without permission._ "

Rogue's eyes widened in surprise, then bent downwards into a frown. "I assume that this is a result of that man that fought Sting and my past self, alongside Natsu? He was not present in my time."

" _He helped this happen, yeah,_ " Lucino smirked. " _And he's strong enough to conjure a hundred etherion cannon blasts, so we don't even need your plan._ "

"Wrong again," Rogue growled.

* * *

"A swarm of ten thousand dragons?!" Jenny of Blue Pegasus screamed. "Are you kidding me?!" Her cry of alarm was echoed by many other wizards in the crowd, though none of them originated from Fairy Tail or Sabertooth. Those wizards wore grim, yet accepting expressions at the King's announcement that royal intelligence had discovered that the kingdom was about to come under siege from ten thousand raging dragons.

"All of you, please calm yourselves!" the king, a small, white-haired man commanded, his voice deep and booming. "I did not summon you here to panic. I invited you here to beg your help! Please!" To their collective shock, he bowed low to them as he implored, "I beseech you now, wizards of Fiore! Do not allow these monsters to destroy everything we have worked to build in their absence! Do not let them ravage this precious kingdom of ours! Even as we speak, my daughter readies our army to make a stand against what is to come, but we cannot do it without you! Please… help me to protect this beautiful nation that I love so dearly!"

There was a small pause of silence as the wizards absorbed the man's request.

"Come ten dragons or ten million, we will stand our ground against them," Erza declared on behalf of the fairies when the diminutive ruler awaited an answer. "For king and country!" The wizards around her roared their support, quickly followed by the mages of Sabertooth.

"For our guilds and our country!" Sting shouted with a large grin on his face. Others took up the call, and soon, every wizard that had assembled to compete in the games was shouting their support, though none could match the volume of the Fairy Tail Guild.

Strangely though, Gorun did not join in the swelling roars as the guilds came together to show support for their king. He stood off, alone, save for Kinana, who had noticed him separate himself from the others.

"Hey," she said as she approached. "What's going on?"

"Something's not right," he muttered, almost to himself. "Natsu's team is still missing, and that worries me. We have two dragon slayers in their group, and I need to make sure that they're at one hundred percent before the dragons show up. Normally I'd be able to feel them this close to the palace, but with so many wizards gathered around and fired up, it's hard for me to sense any one individual."

"Now that you mention that, it _is_ a concern," she agreed, her lovely features becoming marred with a frown.

"That's not all, though," Gorun added slowly. "There's… something else. Something just beyond my senses, and it's driving me crazy. Something I feel like I've forgotten, but…" He grabbed at hair in frustration. "Augh! C'mon, think, Gorun! Humanity is on the line!"

"Hey," Kinana said in her most soothing voice as she hugged him from behind. "Just breathe, like you taught me. Your ki is going to become hard to control if you get too worked up, remember…" She let him draw in a few deep breaths before she asked, "Is Sherria's magic still affecting you somehow? Her spells really seemed to throw you off."

"No, it's not that," Gorun answered after a moment, his voice a little distant. "I took a senzu after I fought her, before I crushed Minerva and ascended to Super Saiyan 2, so I'm healthy right now. Like I said, it's something that I can't sense properly…"

"Is the moon affecting you?" she asked, looking up to see that it was full, not to mention beginning to eclipse, part of it turning blood red. "Could that be what's bothering you?" She had no idea how an eclipse might affect him- he'd never mentioned it before.

"It's not that, either," he mumbled, sagging a little in her grip as he tried to relax. "My tail is covered, so even if I looked at it right now, it shouldn't affect me. Plus, I think the eclipse would prevent some of the blutz waves from reaching me down here, anyway." He drew in a breath to say more, but then he stiffened, his fists clenching.

"Sorry," she said in a small voice, realizing that he must have already had these thoughts in advance, and that she was probably not helping matters by repeating old ideas.

"No, don't be," he said, turning in her grip to face her and grasp her arms with wide eyes. "Tell me, what did I just say?"

"Umm…" She baulked, bewildered by his strange request. "Something about how the eclipse won't let the blutz waves reach you?"

"The eclipse," he repeated, his eyes widening.

"Yeah, I guess there was supposed to be one tonight…?" she said slowly, not seeing where he was going with this.

"No, not that eclipse," he said slowly. "The other Eclipse." He allowed her a moment to realize what he was getting at before adding, "The king mentioned that his daughter was preparing to combat the dragons, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded, finally understanding where his mind was. "You don't think… they're gonna try to use it right now?"

"Maybe they plan to go back in time and do something to affect the dragon race so that they can't become a threat today," he mused aloud. "Regardless, I'll bet that wherever the Eclipse project is, I'll find Natsu and the others."

"What makes you say that?" she asked.

"Because based on what you've all told me- and what I've seen- that guy has a habit of landing in the thick of things," Gorun said dryly. "Problem is, I have no idea where the thing is, and I can't sense where Natsu and the others are. That bothers me, because if Lucy and Yukino used the rings like I told them to, their combined energy should be like a lighthouse in the midst of a storm."

"Maybe they weren't able to use them," Kinana suggested. "That or whatever magic is preventing us from making telepathic contact might also be interfering with your energy sensing."

Gorun paused in mid-thought. "I hadn't considered that," he admitted. "If that's the case, my instant transmission won't work properly while I'm near the castle- I need a solid energy signature to lock onto."

"Or maybe you can go look the old-fashioned way," Kinana said with a light shove on his shoulder. "You can fly faster than the speed of sound, can't you?"

"Oh yeah," he grinned sheepishly. "There is that." Then the grin faded and he took both of Kinana's hands in his own. "This scene looks familiar, doesn't it?" he asked her, his friendly gray eyes dark and somber.

She glanced around at their surroundings- the moonlit night, the balcony they stood beside, the sound of wizards getting excited surrounding them- and had to agree with him. "Just like the Magic Ball," she nodded returning her eyes to his gaze.

"I told you how I felt that night," he said softly. "It feels like that was lifetime ago, where I didn't know how you felt about me."

"Gorun, where are you going with this?" the girl asked, a little worried by his behavior. It wasn't like the Saiyan boy to be nostalgic.

"I just wanted to spend a moment remembering the best night of my life before…" he trailed off.

"Before what?"

"Before the world goes to hell," he said through a catch in his throat. "No, that's not all I wanted… I really wanted to spend this moment of peace with the girl that I fell in love with." As he added the last part, he pulled her into a tight embrace so that she couldn't see the tears beginning to fall from his eyes. "I love you, Kinana," he murmured. "And before we go into what might be our last battle, I needed you to know."

He started to pull away, but a hand reached up and grasped at his hair gently, yet firmly keeping him in place. "I love you too," Kinana told him through a quavering voice. "Do you…? Is this really going to be the end?" Everyone else had been so focused on staying positive and preparing to conquer yet another impossible enemy, that in all the excitement, Kinana hadn't really paused to consider that after this battle, she and the others could very well be dead, just like in the future. Obviously, Gorun had been wrestling with more morbid thoughts than the rest of them.

"I hope not," he said, his heart aching more acutely with every word that left his mouth. He had tried so hard to convince himself that he could change the future like Trunks had all those years ago, but as the enormity of the moment drew closer and closer, he couldn't help but feel certain dread settle into his bones.

"I'm going to fight my very hardest to make sure that we all make it through the night and whatever may follow. But on the chance that I fail… I needed you to know that while Fairy Tail gave me a family, it was you that gave me a home, Kinana. I love you for it, and so many other reasons. Thank you for giving me the life that I've dreamed of for so long. No matter if we win or lose, it's way past time you know what you've done for me." He leaned his forehead to hers as he closed his eyes.

"You've given more than you know," the girl said softly through her own tears. "The only memories I had were of a broken guild trying its hardest to not only stay together, but struggling to raise me and the others that relied on it. Then you came and brought hope into our lives that things could get better. Then you said that you believed in me, taught me to stand up for myself, and gave me love that I never knew existed, even if you didn't know how to say it. Thank you so much, Gorun. I love you too."

"Ha…" Gorun laughed through a sob as he squeezed her closer to him, wishing for a magic that would allow him to freeze time and remain here in her arms forever.

* * *

" _Did'ja miss the part where I said Gorun can zap all the stupid dragons with etherion?_ " Lucino scowled at Future Rogue.

"I heard you just fine, but there remains a fact that you are unaware of, and it is imperative that you understand the gravity of what I say next," Rogue growled back. "There is a reason why we failed to destroy the dragons during their initial assault seven years in my past." He paused to make sure that he would not be interrupted, then said in a severe tone, "Someone prevented Eclipse from activating. Thanks to them, ninety percent of humanity lies dead in my time."

"Someone stopped Eclipse?" Carla asked.

"Maybe it was Gorun?" Happy suggested. "He doesn't seem like he wants it to open."

"I doubt it," Pantherlily muttered, still cradling an unconscious Cana. "He mentioned that Gorun was not present in his time, so I don't see how it could be him."

"Correct, it was not that man," Rogue nodded quickly. "Regardless, I have come to ensure that the person responsible for Eclipse failing does not doom humanity again." The way he said it sent shivers down the spines of several of the fairies.

"How do you plan on stopping them?" Mirajane asked the man. "By detaining them until the dragon attack is dealt with?"

"Hardly," Rogue said with a negative- and very definite- shake of his head. "That won't be enough. Unfortunately, the only way to prevent them from accomplishing their fated task is to eliminate them."

The others physically recoiled in shock at his harsh words. " _Who made you judge and jury, pal?_ " Lucino demanded. " _Why not at least try talking about it with the person first, instead of jumping straight to murder?_ "

"Because when fate decrees that something must occur, the people involved have no choice but to comply," Rogue said, his eyes downcast. "There are certain events that are immutable unless drastic steps are taken, and this is one of those times. Destiny has taken away choice from these unfortunate souls."

"Yer wrong," Natsu growled. "Gorun bein' here proves that things can change. So there's no justification for murdering someone who hasn't done anything wrong yet."

Rogue's eyes narrowed in anger. "Spoken like one that remains untouched by the fires of a hell on earth," he growled. "I came here with a mission to carry out, and I _will_ see it through, with or without your help."

"Oh yeah?" Natsu challenged, taking a fighting stance. "And just who is it that you think you're gonna kill?"

"The person that closed the gate seven years ago must be stopped," Rogue snapped, taking his own stance. "She will be stopped!"

"She?" Future Lucy whispered.

" _You_!" Rogue bellowed reaching back as if to hurl something, yet there was no object in his hand. His visible eye was fixated directly on Lucino, who suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. "You let humanity die! _Lucy Heartfelia!_ " He moved to cast his arm forward as shadows gathered in his hand, but two things happened in the instant that he did.

First, Mirajane tackled Natsu out of the way as Juvia, who had been all but forgotten, extended her middle and pointer fingers at Rogue and screamed, " _Hydro Beam Cannon!_ " A jet of highly condensed water shot forth from her fingertips, piercing Rogue's shoulder and causing him to scream as his throw went wild, a shadow blade of some sort shooting upward to stab the ceiling and then fading out of existence.

Then a window that stood between both parties exploded inward, heralding the arrival of the Super Saiyan, Son Gorun. "I thought I sensed a time breaker's energy when I got closer," he muttered as he touched down and looked over at the wounded Shadow Dragon Slayer. "But I was only looking for Lucy. I certainly didn't expect to run into- Rogue, was it? What in Shenron's name are you doing here?" He frowned as he recognized the slayer's magic signature.

"He's a psycho that tried to kill Lucy!" Happy called out as the man glared at Gorun with undisguised hatred. "Juvia got him with a water gun thing!"

" _Glad to see you,_ " Lucino said to the blond man from behind Future Lucy, who had placed herself between Rogue and the fused fighter. " _I thought I might be in a hot mess there for a second._ "

"Good to see that the rings worked," Gorun said with a brief nod towards them. "I just came from a meeting that the king held with all the guilds from the games- you should go join them in getting ready to fight the dragons. I'll handle grumpy over here." Without another glance, he tossed Mirajane a small sack that sounded like it contained marbles. "Eat one, each of you. They'll get you back up to full power for the fight that's to come. Mira, I want the rest of 'em back when I next see you."

"We're not leaving you to fight this guy!" Natsu protested. "I wanna fight him!"

"C'mon, Natsu," Future Lucy begged him, tugging on his bare arm. "Let's leave this creep to Gorun."

"No," the Salamander growled, pulling away from the blond girl. "He threatened you, and he's not gettin' away with that."

"Natsu, you're a good friend and a powerful ally," Gorun said without turning around. "But I swear to Beerus, if you don't get moving in the next two seconds, I'm going to Kamehameha you into next week! _Go!_ Defeat the dragons, but do _not_ let them use the Eclipse project!"

Pantherlily and the others didn't need to be told twice- they turned tail and ran away from the impending fight, the only exceptions being Natsu, who stubbornly refused to retreat and Future Lucy, who was trying to convince him to go with the rest of them. " _C'mon, hotshot,_ " Lucino said, grabbing onto Natsu's free arm. " _If you want a fight, it sounds like we better head outside and get ready for those dragons to show up._ "

"You're not going anywhere!" Rogue snarled, transforming into a shadow that sped after the retreating group.

"You threatened my comrade," Gorun growled, just before he interposed himself between Rogue and his target. "And you were ready to kill your own guild mate to get to her. You really are a rotten piece of work, _aren't you_?!" He accompanied the last two words with a punch aimed at Rogue's shadow that connected with resounding force that shook the hallway.

Using his pulsating ki to disrupt the shadow magic keeping Rogue out of his grip, he watched with grim satisfaction as the shade recoiled and reformed in front of him, still gripping his wounded shoulder, where blood could be seen dripping from his vest. " _You're_ the one who's not going anywhere, Time Breaker," the Saiyan boy growled.

"You can't stop me from killing Lucy Heartfelia," the dark wizard snarled, releasing his hold on his shoulder. "The Eclipse Gate will open this time!"

"Can't I?" Gorun asked with a slightly cocked head. Raising a hand, he began to raise a finger at a time in correlation with his words, saying, "Let's do a body count, shall we? I crushed Olga on day three of the games, which I now know you were watching. Natsu and I decimated you and Sting together on day four, though if we set egos aside for a moment, I could have taken you both on myself and come out on top. And earlier today, I killed your guild's single strongest mage, and I barely broke a sweat doing it. So far by my count, that's four for four. You really wanna be number five?"

"If you think that the Sabertooth wizards of today set the standard for my abilities, you're gravely mistaken," Rogue chuckled darkly. "I'm twice the man you fought, and Minerva might as well be an insect for me to squash. None of you understand the true might of a dragon slayer."

"Then how's about you show me?" Gorun challenged him, his golden aura flashing brighter. "I'm tired of listening to Sabertooth morons going on about your strength. If you want me to bow before your supposed might, you'll have to use force to bring me down."

"I want you dead, not defeated!" Rogue screamed, his power level suddenly skyrocketing at an alarming rate. There was a flash of blinding white light, and when it faded, Rogue had undergone a bizarre transformation. The shock of black hair was no longer covering the right side of his face, allowing Gorun to see that his right eye was gone, replaced by an angry-looking scar. That same side of his face was now tainted pitch black, as if dipped in tar, and his lengthy mop of hair was standing on end, not unlike a Super Saiyan, save that it did not change colors into a golden mane. "Change form," he said with a dark laugh. " _White Shadow Dragon Mode_."

Gorun hesitated, settling into a defensive stance, readying his barrier technique just in case. "Dual elements, huh?" he muttered, recalling Natsu using something similar against him during their sparring match, and seeing Gajeel combine his iron with present-day Rogue's shadows in one of the lachrymas as he passed by earlier in the day. "Guessing Sting had a hand in this new ability of yours?"

"One could say that," Future Rogue smirked evilly. "Truthfully, when I killed Sting and took his power, I realized that I should have done it a lot sooner. Oh well- all's well that ends well. With light and shadow working as one, your twilight approaches, stranger."

"Trust me when I say that whatever you're planning won't end well for you," Gorun replied testily. "You made an enemy of Fairy Tail, a fatal mistake to any dark plans you've conjured up."

"Dark plans?" Rogue laughed. "And here I came back in time to help save the future."

"Is that the lie you fed the others so they didn't blast you on sight?" Gorun scoffed. "I've dealt with your kind before- I know evil attempting to hide when I see it. Any true ally of ours wouldn't have tried to kill Lucy, for any reason."

"I don't have time for you," Rogue muttered impatiently. "The time is drawing nearer, and you can't be allowed to interfere with my designs." He raised a palm, the darkened one, and murmured, "White Shadow Dragon _Rough Silk._ " A countless number of razor-sharp shadows outlined with a fierce lighting shot towards Gorun at a speed that surprised even him.

" _Barrier!_ " he cried, the shield coming up just in time to block the attack, Rogue laughing hysterically as he unleashed barrage after barrage of white shadows at him. Struggling to maintain his shield against the ferocious attack, Gorun grunted out, "Tell me… Why do you want Eclipse activated so badly?!"

"It holds the key to securing my future," Rogue chuckled. "A future that you will not live to see!" He redoubled his efforts to pierce the energy dome, but Gorun's power held fast before him.

"Not if I stop you!" Gorun snarled back. "And as soon as I finish you, I'm going to destroy that abomination so that it can never be used again! The passageways of time are meant for the gods alone to walk; it is not for upstart mortals like you!"

He engaged his instant transmission and teleported behind the newly powered-up Rogue, chopping at his neck in an attempt to finish the fight quickly.

* * *

"Why is Gorun so adamant about destroying the gate when it might be our only shot at fighting off the dragons?" Cana asked as the group jogged through the gardens of the palace. She had recovered when Mirajane ordered a short rest break as soon as they made it outside, passing out the senzu beans that were in the small bag Gorun had given her, with Pantherlily force-feeding it to the unconscious card mage. As soon as the bean had made its way down her throat, Cana had woken and been caught up to speed on what was happening.

"He hates just about anything that has to do with time travel," Mirajane responded. "Remember what he told us back at the bar? The first person to break the gods' laws on time travel could have been imprisoned for eternity by the god of time, so even though she let him off with indentured servitude, it's a pretty serious crime to time travel without her permission."

"That's only if you get caught," Cana grinned, causing several of the others to roll their eyes at her brazen attitude.

"Angering the god of time seems like something even our guild should try to avoid," Juvia warned her. "It's not like provoking the magic council, where all we guilds usually get is a slap on the wrist. Breaking laws like this could have much more severe consequences."

"Yeah, so what'll happen to me if this Supreme Kai lady ever finds out about me?" Future Lucy whispered hoarsely.

"We'll worry about all that Super Kay crap when we've beat off the dragons," Natsu grumbled, still sore about being forced to retreat from what would have been an epic fight. "And if anyone thinks they're taking your future away, they got another thing coming, Luce." The girl blushed and cast her eyes downwards at his strong words, causing the fused fighter in the group to chuckle a little bit at the future counterpart that made up half of her existence.

" _Hotshot's right,_ " Lucino nodded. " _Right now we need to regroup with the others._ "

"Hey, is that them over there?" Wendy asked, pointing to a large gathering of people that were just on the edge of the royal gardens.

"Not unless Fairy Tail suddenly started carrying spears and wearing uniforms," Pantherlily remarked as they drew closer.

"Crap, it's the army," Cana muttered, reaching for her cards.

" _Hold on,_ " Lucino said, stopping the card mage from launching a preemptive strike. " _I'm sensing a butt load of celestial magic energy from the head of that group. Based on what we've been told, there's only one thing other than me that can output that much celestial magic power at once._ " At her words, everyone stopped running and ducked around a bend in the bushes that hid them from view.

"That's gotta be the Eclipse!" Wendy exclaimed. "If Lucino can sense the energy gathering, then they must be getting ready to use it against the dragons!"

"That's weird," Natsu muttered, sniffing at the air.

"What's up, pal?" Happy asked him.

"I don't sense any dragons nearby," he frowned in response. "And I don't smell 'em, either. Why're they getting the cannon thingy ready if the dragons aren't close yet?"

"Maybe we should get in closer to have a listen," Cana suggested, her joking demeanor from earlier gone. She was peering around the corner to get a better look. "I can see a group of people standing in front of this giant gate-looking thing… Hang on! One of 'em is that Minister guy! Wasn't he against this thing from the beginning?!"

" _Yeah!_ " Lucino said angrily. " _He tried to lock Lucy and Yukino up to keep this from happening, then we find out that their keys were taken while they were napping?!_ "

"A rather suspicious set of circumstances, wouldn't you all agree?" Carla muttered.

"Rrgh…" Natsu growled. "So am I gonna get to punch the midget or not?!"

"Maybe," Mirajane murmured, making a hand signal for them to keep their volume down. "However, I get the sense that we still don't have all of the pieces to this puzzle."

"I'll turn into a puddle and get in closer for a listen," Juvia volunteered. "People are less likely to notice a bit of water than one of you eavesdropping." With that, she was collapsing into her liquid form and seeping away swiftly.

"Be careful," Future Lucy called softly after her.

* * *

"Why don't you _die_?!" Rogue snarled as he blasted a column to smithereens, just missing Gorun, who was zipping around in the air above him, like an annoying firefly. So far, Gorun's Saiyan Soul transformation was proving to be every bit of a match for his White Shadow mode. Although the future dragon slayer was conserving his power for the upcoming task, he was still taken aback by how resilient this Gorun character was.

"Cos I've got better things to do!" Gorun replied waspishly as he outstretched his hand, sending a Tyrant Lance at the White Shadow Dragon Slayer. Rogue countered with a short breath attack that temporarily blinded his target from the brilliance of the colliding energies.

"Even if I can't kill you now…" the dark wizard growled, his voice taking on an echoing cadence as it did whenever he became a shadow, "it won't be long before you see the end come crashing down around you…"

"Did you forget I can sense your life essence?!" the enraged Super Saiyan snarled, gathering ki in his hands, not caring that a full-power, point-blank Kamehameha would level half the castle. His eyesight was back, and he quickly located the deep shadow that betrayed Rogue's presence, eyes narrowing as he prepared to cast his power.

Then a burst of magic energy pulsated through the night air; a wave so intense, it nearly made Gorun black out from the magnitude and proximity. It was a hauntingly familiar energy, too. "No…" he whispered, the shadow all but forgotten as he floated to the ground, staring out one of the many windows that had been destroyed during the fighting. "It's happening…" So great was his disconcertment that he lost his hold on the Super Saiyan power, his golden hair fading to black and falling loosely around his now-pale face.

He knew only one source of energy other than Towa or Mira that could be putting out that much Time Breaker Energy. "They've activated Eclipse…"

* * *

The entire group gave a start of surprise as the giant gates of the bizarre-looking machine began to groan.

"Are they going to travel through time now?" Wendy wondered out loud.

"No," Juvia answered as she quickly reappeared beside them, drawing herself up from the puddle she'd sunk into. "They plan to use the Eclipse Cannon against the dragons. According to the people talking beside it- Minister Darton, Colonel Arcadios, and Princess Hisui- the cannon takes time to charge up before it can fire."

"That explains why they'd be starting it up now, even though we haven't seen any dragons," Future Lucy muttered.

" _But it doesn't explain how they know about the dragons coming in the first place,_ " Lucino pointed out. " _I mean, we didn't tell them, but according to Gorun, they were getting the wizards ready for an invasion. And we only knew in advance because Lucy told us the other night._ "

"And I didn't meet up with anyone inside the military," the time traveler added.

"Wait, then how could they possibly know about the dragon invasion?" Carla asked with a worried frown. "We have yet to sight any of the beasts, or even sense them. And as powerful as they are, even if there were only a few, we should be able to sense them by now if they were anywhere near us."

"Something's fishy here, and not the good kind of fishy," Happy mused.

"Uh, guys?" Cana asked while sweating lightly. "I think I may have figured out where they got their intel from."

"What?!" most of the others exclaimed in hushed voices, still aware of the hundreds of soldiers only a short distance away. "What do you mean?" Mirajane added.

"They said that they were gonna use it as a weapon," Cana replied. "Where'd _we_ hear about the weapon function from?"

It didn't take long for the others to figure it out. "That Rogue from the future must be telling them how to use it!" Pantherlily exclaimed.

"But if he's set on killing Lucy, then what happens when the Epic Cannon fires?" Natsu growled. "My gut's tellin' me that whatever he wants ain't gonna be good for the rest of us." The others nodded or muttered their agreements. Despite Rogue claiming that he had travelled back in time to help them, his actions spoke of a darker motive- something about him just didn't add up.

"We've got to warn the princess that their informant may be up to something!" Juvia declared. Before she could get going, however, Mirajane's strong grip stopped her. "What is it? We don't have much time!"

"I think we'd better stay here in case Gorun needs backup," the she-devil said mildly as she pointed at an approaching golden streak laced with lightning.

"It's Gorun!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Yeah," Natsu agreed as the boy came closer to the gate through time. "And judging from how high his energy is, he's pissed."

* * *

Gorun landed in between an army of soldiers and the three leaders, his body blazing with the golden energy and lightning of his Super Saiyan 2 power. "Shut it down," he said in a cold voice before anyone had a chance to ask him what he was doing there. From what he could see, there were several locks on the door, though even as he landed, the fourth one slid open.

"I beg your pardon?" said a tall man in silver armor, his sword drawn and pointed at the intruder. "Do you have any idea who it is that you are speaking to?! This is Hisui E. Fiore, crown princess of the kingdom! And you have the audacity to give her an order?!"

"Peace, Arcadios," said the only woman present, her voice calm yet carrying the unmistakable ring of authority. Her hair was a deep green, her eyes were like matching gems, and her beauty was undeniable. She wore a short white dress and, was adorned with fine jewelry and a white cape. Fixing her jade green eyes on the man standing before them, she said, "I saw you fight during the Grand Magic Games- a masterful, if brutal showing. As I understand it, you were seen with the other wizards only moments ago, preparing to combat the oncoming dragon swarm. Why have you come here instead?" The ninth lock was coming undone now.

"I kept getting the feeling that something wasn't right," he replied. "And the fact that I couldn't sense any nearby power levels until I got inside the castle grounds themselves only added to my suspicions. You all didn't want anyone to know about your little time travelling project, so you used some kind of energy field to distort outsiders' senses to avoid anyone seeing this."

"Hold on, how do you know about the Eclipse project?" Hisui demanded.

"Our guild had a visitor claiming to be from the future," Gorun replied, his voice still harsh and cold. "She told us about what was to come, and about how she used Eclipse to come back and warn us."

"Hold on," the smallest of the three leaders- Minister Darton, Gorun remembered- said, frowning. "You said a woman came to visit you?"

"What of it?" Gorun snapped. "I thought that you were against this whole operation in the first place- why are _you_ here?" He glanced at the contraption, where the twelfth and final lock was coming undone.

"The circumstances changed," the short minister answered vaguely.

"We too had a visitor claiming to be from the future," Hisui interjected. "They told us of the incoming disaster, and how to stop it. If we use the Eclipse Gate as a weapon, the energy will be on par with that of an etherion blast, capable of wiping out an entire nation. They even gave us proof that they came from the future by predicting that your guild would claim victory without losing a single member in combat. However, our source was not a woman, but a man."

"A man," the saiyan boy repeated slowly as he put the pieces together. "Let me guess- long white hair, dressed in dark robes."

"That's him exactly," Hisui replied with some surprise. "I'm guessing you've met him, then?"

"We've had words, and now I've got a few in mind for you," Gorun snapped, then he let out a massive roar that was accompanied by a sharp rise in his power level, prompting Arcadios to move the princess and Darton away from the boy, who turned to face the gate, which was beginning to swing open. The air around them was actually racing away from him at gale force speeds, making it hard to even stand anywhere near him.

"I can't believe you were so gullible to believe everything that shady would-be murderer told you!" he screamed at them. "Whatever it is that he's planning, you can bet that it doesn't involve helping us defeat dragons! Now shut down the gate _before I do it myself_!"

"You can't!" Hisui cried. "Only a celestial wizard can shut down the gate once it's open! And even if you could, you would risk the destructive energy inside it immolating all of Crocus!"

"Wrong, princess!" The boy snarled, slamming his hands together in front of him, lightning beginning to shoot out from where his palms met. "The only kind of energy I'm sensing is Time Breaker power! There's no cannon here- just a door where you have _no idea_ what could be on the other side!"

"And you do?!" Arcadios shouted back, making his way toward the boy with his sword in hand, despite the wind and lightning. "Step away from the gate, or I will cut you down where you stand!"

" _Go ahead and try it, key thieves!_ " a new voice broke in. Before anyone could turn to see who had spoken, ten figures burst out of the gardens, charging at the shocked princess and her attendants.

"Fire Dragon _Crushing Fang!_ " Natsu bellowed as he swiped at the colonel's sword, breaking it in half with little effort.

" _This is for stealing Lucy and Yukino's keys!_ " Lucino shouted as she clocked him in the head with the brand of Taurus on the back of her left hand. The man hit the ground, hard, and lay there, helmet severely dented, groaning, and quite possibly concussed.

"Don't come any closer unless you want some of the same!" Cana grinned as she flashed some of her tarot cards at a few soldiers when they started to advance. Flanking her were Juvia and Mirajane, both of them looking lethal in their own rights, so none of the soldiers thought that attacking seemed like a good idea just then.

The exceeds surrounded Darton, Pantherlily holding his sword in his smaller form, while Happy threatened him with a fish. Of the two, Darton was not sure which one he feared more. Then again, the white cat had some very sharp-looking claws…

Wendy and Future Lucy came to stand on either side of Hisui, both of them looking very cross with her. "I'm guessing you're the one who ordered our keys taken to power the Eclipse," the blond girl said in a low voice. She didn't feel like explaining that she was a different Lucy, and was simply banking on the hope that Hisui recognized her as one of the Celestial Wizards that had participated in the games.

Hisui's jaw set in a firm line, even as the massive doors to Eclipse finally finished opening. "I did what I had to for the good of the kingdom," she said stubbornly. "With the energy inside that gate, we can save our kingdom from the oncoming dragons."

"Like hell you can!" Gorun shouted, his attack nearly done charging. "I'm blowing this gate to dust, and then you're gonna answer to the Magic Council for using a spell from the book of Zeref!"

" _Gorun!_ " Lucino cried, her face as white as a sheet as she moved away from the fallen colonel, towards the Saiyan boy and the Eclipse Gate. " _You need to destroy the gate_ , now!"

"I'm charging the attack as fast as I can," he grunted, even as a yellow ball congealed in his palms. "I'm nearly there, what's the rush?!"

" _Grandpa Crux- one of Lucy's spirits- just passed me a message!_ " the fused girl said urgently. " _He says that there's no possible way for this thing to be weaponized! It's just a gate that connects points in time!_ "

"Ya don't say?!" the ascended Super Saiyan replied pithily. "Can you tell me something I don't know?"

" _This is no time to be a smartass!_ " she shot back. " _The eclipsed full moon is messing with the inner mechanisms, forcing it to lock onto a single point in time!_ "

Gorun didn't bother to wait for her next words- he had a pretty good idea of what they were going to be. Besides, he was done gathering energy, which meant… "Stand back!" he bellowed, the orb in his hands swelling to burst. " _Final Fla-!_ "

BLAM!

In an instant, the energy in his hands was snuffed out as a large, scaly forearm burst out of the gate and crashed into the boy, sending him flying through several dozen rows of bushes, and out of sight.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Darton gaped as a titanic figure stepped through the shining light of the Eclipse Gate. It was easily the size of a city block, covered in shiny metallic scales, with blood-red eyes that stared down at the assembled soldiers with disdain. Wings as big as its body each spread out as soon as they were clear of the gate, and a tail with an end akin to a spiked club wove dangerously through the air. It was, beyond the shadow of a doubt, a live dragon.

It let out a roar as it fully exited the gate, the volume of its challenge alone enough to destroy the pavement around it, along with many statues, buildings, and other features of the city. It stamped its clawed forefoot seemingly for emphasis, and several dozen city blocks were destroyed as a result.

Hisui and Darton were horrified, realizing just what their actions had unleashed. The Fairy Tail wizards were hardly any better. Future Lucy was nearly catatonic, babbling incoherently as she stared up at the dragon, every nightmare she had ever feared now returning to haunt her.

Only Lucino and Natsu looked like they were ready to put up any kind of a fight, but even their resolve seemed shaky at best, seeing as it took only a single blow from this thing for one of their strongest members to go down. Things only got worse as another dragon, this one blue in color, followed its cousin into the current time period.

"What is happening?!" Hisui cried, tears of horror running down her face as she sank to her knees. "I was told that this would save our future, not destroy it!"

" _Hey!_ " Lucino growled, pulling the other girl to her feet, and yanking her to be face-to-face with the fused warrior. " _This is not the time for a pity-party! Tell me how to shut down the gate, and do it fast!_ " Now a dragon made purely of flame was emerging from the gate through time. When Hisui only opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, Lucino shook her roughly and shouted, " _Freak out after you've told me how to stop them! That gate is currently locked into the era when dragons ruled Earthland, so unless you actually want to face ten thousand of these things, you'll tell me how to shut that door!_ "

Even as she was yelling at the princess, a black and red dragon stepped into the castle courtyard and roared its challenge, the shockwaves erupting from its maw strong enough to send many of those present flying.

"I've had enough of this!" Natsu growled, flames dancing in his hands. "Lucy and Yukino, get the gate shut! I'll hold 'em back so that no more get through!"

" _Be careful, hotshot!_ " the fused girl called after him.

"Natsu, don't!" Future Lucy begged, reaching out her hand after him. A memory seared her mind like Natsu's fire, a memory of him charging headlong into a swarm of dragons- and paying the price for his arrogance. "Please, _come back!_ "

"I'll be back, Luce!" he called over his shoulder with a confident grin. "I won't leave ya again, I promise!"

"It's okay," said the now-deeper voice of Mirajane, who had assumed a blue-and-white demon takeover form. "You're not alone this time. We'll fight beside him."

Meanwhile, Lucino, who was far more hot-tempered than her counterparts, was through trying to coax the information out of the princess. " _Last chance to talk before I toss you into that gate for screwing this whole thing up!_ " she shouted angrily, hoisting the princess up by her fancy robes.

"You wouldn't dare!" Arcadios called from where he was struggling to get to his feet. "She did not mean for this to happen!"

While he spoke, a reddish dragon with a pincer-like snout made its way through the arch of the Eclipse. Natsu rushed it, launching a ferocious wing attack at its face. The massive beast snorted as if stung, then used a wing flap to blow him back, sending him flying out of the gardens. Happy let out a cry of alarm and went to fetch his best friend. Future Lucy let out a strangled sob and ran after them.

" _Whether or not she did, this is all a result of you guys meddling in stuff you had no right to test!_ " Lucino snarled. " _Where. Is. The shut-off switch?!_ "

"Th-There…" Hisui finally managed to stammer, pointing with a shaky finger at a large bar that protruded from a console near the Eclipse Gate.

" _Good,_ " Lucino said shortly, dumping the girl where she stood, and turning swiftly on her heel to run towards the lever. " _Now stay out of our way. We have your mess to clean up._ " A dark green dragon with heavy eyebrows had made his way through and was taking to the sky to join his brethren. Lucino was nearly blown away by the wind generated from his wing flaps, but her fused body withstood the assault better than either Lucy or Yukino could have alone.

She reached the lever and heaved with all her might, pouring her celestial magic into the mechanism, willing it to shut- to no avail. " _Why won't it close?!_ " she screamed in frustration. Already, they could sense another dragon approaching from within the gate, feel the ground trembling as its heavy footsteps made their way into the present time. " _I should be putting out enough magic power, so why won't it shut?!_ "

"Didn't you say that the moon was messing with it?!" Cana called over from where she was guarding the colonel. "Maybe that's your issue!"

" _In which case…_ " Lucino panted as she backed away from the mechanism. " _I need another way to shut the gate._ "

"Can't your spirits help?!" Wendy called out hopefully, even as a furry red snout began to inch its way out of the gate.

" _Strictly speaking, they're not contracted to me, so even if I call them out, I don't know that they_ would _help me!_ " Lucino replied, sweating with exhaustion and fear. " _Haven't you noticed that I've avoided calling them this whole time?! I don't want to break any contracts Lucy and Yukino have!_ "

"Are you friggin' kidding me?!" Cana shouted. "You're made up of those two, the spirits will understand that! Stop being a pansy and call 'em out to put the brakes on this thing!"

" _Celestial Spirits are different from -_ "

"HAAAAAAA!" Gorun suddenly appeared in front of the gate and let loose with the biggest Kamehameha that any of them had ever seen. It smashed into the furry dragon attempting to approach and held it in check- for the moment.

Elsewhere, the dragons had begun to wander aimlessly around the city, stomping on buildings that obstructed their path, or in the case of the fiery one, incinerating everything it touched on contact. Fairy Tail had elected to remain at the meeting place while the other guilds had moved out into the city before the dragons began to arrive, and now the scorching heat of the fire dragon drew near to them.

* * *

Many of those that had not been at Tenrou to fight Acnologia reacted with horror as the flaming creature landed a few hundred feet away from them, growling malevolently at them. "That's a dragon?!" Warren screamed in fright.

"And we're expecting hundreds more of 'em?!" Max added, pale with terror.

"How're we supposed to beat these things?!" Romeo added, feeling very small and insignificant as he beheld the monster.

"The hard way, how else?" Gajeel grinned crookedly. He was completely healed from his battle with the possessed Rogue earlier in the day, thanks to a senzu bean that Kinana had given him. Cracking his knuckles confidently, he stepped up to the front of the group, saying, "I've been wanting a rematch with Salamander for a while, but I guess I'll settle for the next best thing."

"I don't know if-" Kinana began, but she was cut off as Gajeel let out a challenging roar and ran full pelt at the flame monster.

" _Iron Dragon CLUB!_ " he bellowed, aiming right at the dragon's head with his strike attack. The heavy club passed through the beast's head, and for a brief second, Gajeel actually thought that he'd taken it out.

Then the dragon snorted, saying in a gravelly voice, " **I am the Dragon Atlas Flame. My body is made purely of fire- physical attacks pass through me, and spells are incinerated as soon as they come close enough to touch me!** " As if to prove his point, Gajeel winced and withdrew his arm, which was glowing red from the heat.

When the limb transformed back into flesh-and-blood, it was burnt and smoking, carrying the unpleasant smell of burned flesh. Still, he grinned crookedly through the pain and grunted, "Sheesh… That was nothin', you overgrown campfire. I've felt way hotter flames than that- a little burn ain't gonna stop me!"

Atlas Flame snorted again in contempt and promptly unleashed a breath attack that incinerated a large portion of the castle gardens, and caused a massive wall of flame to erupt between him and the wizards. The blowback scattered the lot of them, so he left them for dead, wandering off in search of less annoying food.

* * *

" _Gorun!_ " Lucino cried out in relief, though it was noticeable that Yukino's voice seemed the stronger of the two in that moment. " _You're okay!_ "

"These things don't mess around, and I can't keep this up forever!" he grunted, his voice strained, and somewhat hard to make out over the noise of his attack and the lightning dancing across his body. "If you have a way to shut this thing down, do it now!" As he spoke, blood trickled out of his mouth and down his chin. It was obvious that the first dragon had done him some serious damage with its attack.

Throwing caution to the wind, Lucino reached into the pouch hanging from her sash and pulled out all twelve of the golden zodiac keys. " _Please don't let us down,_ " she whispered before tossing them high into the air. " _Spirits of the Heavens, hear my call! Open now, all twelve gates, so that I may vanquish the wicked!_ " She paused, feeling nothing from the keys, then added, " _I know that I have no contract with any of you, but please! On behalf of Lucy and Yukino, I ask that you lend me your power! Open, all twelve gates- ZODIAC!_ "

The keys flashed to life with the brilliance of the sun, arranging themselves in midair so that they formed a perfect circle. The light shone down on the fused wizard, bathing her in a serene light, even as shapes began to materialize around her. Her eyes widened as she saw a grinning Leo come to her aid, followed by all other zodiac spirits.

"Bout time you realized you can call on us," he said easily. "You might have a different name and look a little off, but I can still sense Lucy in there. Our keys are yours to call on, same as Gorgeous."

Lucino's eyes misted a little, but she wiped them away and said with a confident grin, " _Glad to hear it, Loke. Now do me a favor and shut that gate before Gorun dies of internal bleeding or something._ "

"Our pleasure," he said with that easy grin of his. Turning to the others, he raised his voice and said, "You heard the lady! Let's move it, Zodiac!" With a burst of golden light and magic power, the twelve spirits flew up and around, intent on doing their masters' bidding.

Six spirits each took to one of the massive double doors through which time was an open passage, surrounded by a golden aura as they slammed into the gate, heaving with all their physical and magic might, forcing the gates to close, despite the locked gears. Gorun's Kamehameha was weakening, and the furry red dragon tried to push past it, but he redoubled his efforts to keep it at bay, more blood dribbling down his lips as he concentrated harder, his body trembling. The zodiac spirits, seeing his effort to aid them, redoubled their efforts, forcing the gate closed first by inches, then by feet at a time, gaining momentum in their endeavor.

Finally, Gorun's body gave out, and he returned to his black-haired base form, even as the spirits managed to shut the gate in the face of the fuzzy dragon, sealing the door through time.

Mirajane was quickly by the boy's side, reaching into the pouch and producing a senzu bean for him. As she scooped him into a sitting position, she was able to see just how badly the first dragon had injured him, unprepared as he had been to take the attack. His shirt had a couple of gashes in it, and blood flowed freely from his torso and mouth, both signs of serious internal bleeding. She was sure that most of his ribs would have been shattered by that vicious blow, which only increased her admiration for the boy, seeing how he had held the last dragon at bay despite being seriously wounded, and the drain that such a powerful takeover spell would have put on his body.

She fed him a senzu bean, which he was barely able to swallow past the blood in his throat. However, as soon as the bean had gone down, he sighed, breathed deeply, and stood up, wiping the blood from his chin. "Thank you," he said breathlessly. "For a moment there, I thought I was going to lose to that beast."

" _Gorun!_ " Lucino called, running up to him, short on breath from the effort of summoning all the zodiac spirits at once. " _You're okay!_ "

"Thanks to you and Mirajane," he grinned slightly. Then he frowned, a thought occurring, "So, how many of those do we have to deal with?"

" _You up for fighting seven more?_ " she asked him with a grim smile.

"Seven made it through, huh?" he muttered, turning around, a thoughtful look on his face. "Yeah, I'm picking up on that number of ridiculously strong power levels out there…" He looked like he was about to say more, but a familiar voice stopped him.

"Bah," Future Rogue grumbled as he appeared in the red moonlight atop one of the castle turrets. "Ten thousand dragons is too many to control, anyway. Seven will do just nicely."

"You…" Hisui said in a trembling voice as she got to her feet, fear and outrage mixed in equal portions on her face. "You traitor! Why have you done this?!"

"Be silent!" he snapped at her with a wicked grin taking ahold of his face. As he raised his hands skyward, Gorun noticed a strange change in his energy- he was exuding a relatively small amount of power, but it didn't feel like an attack. Then he said, "Take heed, my ignorant subjects! I declare that the rule of man is no more! Here, at the Dragon King's festival, do I take my rightful place as your new ruler!" As he had been speaking, the seven dragons that came through the gate landed or hovered near to him, inclining their heads toward him, almost as if in an imitation of a bow.

"They can't be… listening to him?" Wendy asked in a small voice. "Can they?" She and the others had abandoned their posts of guarding the people responsible for the Eclipse and moved to join Gorun in front of the gate.

"Why would dragons listen to a human?" Cana wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but his energy is doing something strange, something I haven't seen before," Gorun answered warily. "That may have something to do with it."

"Let this world end in fire!" Rogue declared. "And from the ashes, a new kingdom- _my_ kingdom- will be born!" With that, he leaped into the hand of the metallic dragon, the one that had injured Gorun so badly, and together they flew off.

"I've got a bone to pick with that dragon and its rider," the Saiyan boy muttered.

"Hold on!" Cana said as she stopped him with a firm grip on his arm. "If you go in without a plan again, you're just gonna end up dead. You're supposed to be an S-class wizard, start acting like it!"

Her words cut through the anger that he'd been building. He stopped, drew in a breath to calm himself, pushing down the Super Saiyan that was threatening to take over as he studied the flying beasts, noticing where they were each heading, measuring their power levels, and what kind of magic they were likely to have.

He noticed with some apprehension that there was a green one headed back towards where they were gathered, and that the fire one seemed to be heading towards where he could sense the other Fairy Tail members. "All right, here's my plan," he said, speaking quickly. "Wendy, it looks like you're going to have to fight that green one that's headed for us. Don't worry, you won't be alone. The other girls will give you a hand, right?" He looked hopefully to the others, and sighed with relief when they nodded in agreement with his idea.

Wendy was a dragon slayer, so her magic was best suited for this encounter, but she was still young and admittedly hesitant in combat, and compared to veterans like Cana, Juvia, and Mirajane, she was woefully inexperienced. She would need all the help she could get.

"I'm going to take Pantherlily to meet up with Gajeel and see if he can take on the stone dragon I just saw," he added, pointing to the brown beast as it flew over some of the southern city blocks. "He's not the most nimble guy, so he'll need all the mobility he can get."

"Understood," the black cat said.

" _What about Natsu?_ " Lucino frowned. " _He got hit by a dragon, too._ "

Gorun paused and double-checked the energy signatures he was feeling. "He's fine, far as I can tell," he answered. "My guess is that being a dragon slayer probably means that dragon's attack didn't hurt him as bad as it did me. And Happy and the other Lucy are with him, so they should be okay, for the moment. I'll use instant transmission to try and set him against the flying funeral pyre first chance I get." He jerked a thumb to indicate Atlas Flame currently burning down part of the business sector in Crocus. "After that, I'll do my best to make sure that every one of those flying lizards is met with a dragon slayer."

"But there's seven dragons, and six dragon slayers," Juvia pointed out. "Or do you plan to leave the one Rogue is flying on alone until we can all regroup?"

"More or less, since fighting that shadowy punk is hard enough alone, forget the castle-sized dragon he's standing on. But you're wrong about the number of dragon slayers," Gorun replied, his eyes closed in concentration. "I can sense a new player on the board, one with energy reminiscent of a dragon slayer's. Problem is, Jellal knew of only one other dragon slayer that would be here in Crocus…"

"Wait, you don't mean…" Wendy said, paling as some unpleasant memories rose from seven years ago.

"I've never met him, but I know of him," Gorun nodded. "And unfortunately, right now Jellal is right in calling him an asset."

"Is he talking to you now?" Mirajane asked curiously.

"Only long enough to pass a message," Gorun confirmed. "He said to go make sure that Cobra of the Oracion Seis keeps his word." Placing two fingers on his head, he held out a hand for Pantherlily to take and muttered, "I'll be sure to send reinforcements this way once I get the chance. And Wendy…."

She started, looking back up at him as he grinned gently at her. "You're strong," he told her. "Remember what I told you, and you'll take that overgrown lizard down before I can even come back to help." Then he was gone with Pantherlily.

The next instant, the massive green dragon touched down between them and the gate, sending them all stumbling away from the force of his wings, save one. Wendy stood tall against the monster, despite feeling small and insignificant next to his power and stature. But with Gorun's words ringing in her ears, she knew that she could not afford to back down from this fight. This would determine not only the fate of their lives, but that of the entire world.

* * *

 _Resting Day of the Grand Magic Games…_

Mavis had just finished outlining her plans for both teams and was dismissing them all when Gorun pulled the dragon slayers aside for a private chat. "There's one other thing you guys should be aware of before we make our move," he began as the others left the meeting place.

Gajeel raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "What, did you forget something from your story that yer still feeling guilty about?"

"No," the boy retorted, looking annoyed. "It's actually to do with your magic, specifically your latent potential that I can sense. From a few scattered memories of being part of Narun, I remember him calling this hidden power the 'Dragon Force'. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"It's the final stage of Dragon Slayer magic," Laxus nodded. "Supposedly those that can use it can wield their magic with such strength that they're comparable to a real dragon."

"And you've unlocked this power, right Laxus?" Gorun prompted him. "Some of the others told me about your strength when you fought Gajeel and Natsu, and later on, Master Hades of Grimoire Heart."

"Sort of…" the Lightning Dragon Slayer admitted. "I can increase my power several times over by taking on a different form than my normal state, but it's not the true dragon force. More like… a pseudo version of the power, if you know what I mean. I think it's a side effect from not being trained by an actual dragon or something."

"Huh," Gorun muttered. "By all accounts, it sounded like the real thing. Never mind, this is more for those of you that can't activate the power at will."

"I've used it twice, against Jellal and Zero," Natsu bragged. "Totally kicked their butts, too."

"You used borrowed power to trigger the Dragon Force both times," Gorun pointed out. He'd heard the tales recounted by the members of his team. "My guess is that because of that, it wasn't even close to the real level you could have achieved."

"Huh?" Natsu gaped blankly.

"He's sayin' you cheated," Gajeel chuckled.

" _Who're you callin' a cheater, you walking scrap pile?!_ "

"You, sparks-for-brains!"

" _Focus!_ " Gorun snapped at them both. "This could make the difference between living and dying later!"

"What is 'this', exactly?" Wendy asked with a frown on her small face. "You still haven't told us what you're getting at."

"I want to help you three unlock your ability to tap into the Dragon Force whenever you need to," Gorun stated bluntly. "From fighting Sting and Rogue, I noticed that their method of powering up is very similar to my own. If the Dragon Force is similar to the Super Saiyan power, then I _should_ be able to teach you how to use it, too."

"Really?" Wendy exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Awesome!" Natsu grinned.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is gonna involve some weird alien ritual?" Gajeel muttered skeptically.

"Nothing so bizarre as that," Gorun replied with a grin. "In fact, it should be pretty simple when we get down to it." He looked at them in turn, his face becoming serious again before he said, "There are two steps to unleashing your dormant powers. One is to realize that your current limits are not the final hurdle. There will always be new boundaries to test, unrealized potential to be tapped. Do not let your mind limit what your body can do, but rather use it as the ultimate sharpening instrument for the weapon that is your body. The second thing you need is a trigger."

He paused, thinking of how to explain this, so Wendy asked him, "What kind of trigger? Like an external source of magic power to boost our own?"

"You can do that, but then the power isn't really yours," Gorun replied. "No, the true strength must come from within yourself, your own desire to succeed. Actually, no, that's not right…" He paused again, searching for the right words.

"I think he's talking about an emotional trigger," Laxus interjected. "Take Natsu for example." The others turned to look at him in surprise as he continued, "He might have used external energy sources every time he's used the Dragon Force so far, but both times he had a reason why he did it. With Jellal, he wanted to protect Erza. Against Zero, he had to save Cait Shelter and the coalition force."

"Laxus is on to something there," Gorun nodded, finally realizing what he needed to say. "My ancestor, Goku, the one who figured out the Super Saiyan ability? He always used to say that the greatest power comes in response to a need, not a desire. For Natsu, it must have been something more than just wanting to beat somebody. There was something personal involved each time, right?" He looked to the Salamander for confirmation, who nodded once, remembering those dark moments when it seemed that his own strength would not be enough.

"If he hadn't felt such a need to grow in his abilities, I doubt whether or not he would have been able to access the Dragon Force at all, extra energy or no," Gorun said gravely. "So that's it, then. Find your trigger, your reason for needing to grow stronger, and then just maybe, we'll have a chance at beating those dragons."

"And what if your way doesn't work, and this is just a big waste of time?" Gajeel asked.

"Then we're all probably gonna die," Gorun deadpanned.

"Figures."

* * *

 _Present…_

 _I_ need _to protect my friends, to return the favor… because they've always been the ones protecting me,_ Wendy thought, glaring up at the giant who stared back at her, looking amused.

" **Well hello there, little cutie pie,** " he crooned mockingly. " **Isn't it past your bedtime?** "

"I'm not the one who's where he shouldn't be," Wendy replied stubbornly, holding her ground as he drew his face closer to hers, his white fangs glistening with saliva. "So it looks like I'm going to have to send you where you belong." As she spoke, the wind was picking up speed, whirling around her body, kicking up dust and some debris left over from the dragon's entrance.

" **That's a pretty bold statement, small fry,** " the green dragon snorted, drawing his head back and chuckling in amusement. " **I really doubt you can take on the great Zirconis, but I am pretty hungry. You'll make an excellent appetizer to go along with the main course.** " He eyed the other women hungrily as he spoke, his gaze settling on Lucino, who reddened with anger.

" _Eyes of the merchandise, pal!_ " she shouted at him, causing him to chuckle darkly.

" **Perfect,** " he rumbled. " **Tender** _ **and**_ **spicy. You're gonna be my favorite meal here, I can tell.** "

"Don't ignore me!" Wendy shouted, the wind surrounding her suddenly picking up in speed, enough so that Zirconis had to fold in his wings to keeps from floating away on an updraft. "I'm not done with you yet, Zirconis!"

" **Hey wait, I know that magic,** " the dragon frowned, an old memory stirring. " **Isn't that Grandeeney's-** " He got no further. Wendy suddenly shot up at sonic speeds, her fist smashing straight into his jaw, causing him to bite his tongue and yelp as he retreated a couple of pace to glare at the little girl that had dared to strike him.

Only, she looked very unlike the little girl that he had been threatening him only moments before. Whereas her hair had been dark blue before and falling on either side of her face, it was a light pink color, and standing on end like Gorun's had when he transformed, her eyes matching the tone as she glared fiercely at Zirconis, her teeth bared and showing sharper canines. White feathers had appeared on her body- on her wrists, ankles, and shoulder blades. Her hair was now whirling above her head in the wind she was generating. Her magic power was through the roof, and all the humans present stared at her in wonder.

Only Carla could bring herself to speak in that moment, and even then, it was only a hoarse whisper that was lost in the sounds of the gale force winds whipping through the area. "The Dragon Force…"

* * *

"So, will you help us?" Lahar demanded as he glared the one-eyed wizard standing beside a panting Doranbolt.

"There are dragons preparing to attack the city- we could really use your power," the teleporting wizard added.

"Ya don't say?" the one-eyed man, known as Cobra the Poison Dragon Slayer, drawled. "I already heard." He was tall and slender, with deeply tanned skin despite the fact that he had spent the last seven years in a dark cell. His hair was brown, and his remaining orb was purple in color.

"Then you'll help us?" asked a newcomer that startled the gathered men with his sudden appearance. It was Son Gorun of the victorious Fairy Tail Guild. "I've got a dragon out there with your name on it."

"How did you know where to-"

"Jellal contacted me, said I might find a helping hand out here," Gorun said quickly, cutting off Doranbolt. He held out a hand to Cobra, who was looking at him with strangely narrowed eyes. "Hey, did you hear me? Are you gonna help us or not?"

"Your scent…" the man muttered, too softly for most ears to pick up on. Gorun however, had excellent hearing, and heard the strange remark. Before he could ask about it, Cobra asked in a louder voice, "How do you know Cubellios?"

"Cubell… What?" The boy answered, confused. "I don't know who you're talking about, and now isn't the time to be discussing any mutual acquaintances. Dragons are-"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard," Cobra said dismissively. "If you want my help, it ain't gonna be free."

"I busted you out of jail!" Doranbolt said angrily, but Gorun waved him back.

"What do you want in exchange for the slaying of a single dragon?" the Saiyan boy asked the slayer, a note of challenge in his voice.

Cobra grinned at that. "You got stones, kid, I'll give you that," he said. "Fine. I kill a dragon, and you let me see Cubellios again. And drop the whole 'acquaintance' act. People don't start smelling like other people unless they spend an awful lot of time together. I'll even give you a hint- giant-ass purple snake. Jogging any memories?"

Gorun froze at those words. There was only one person he knew of that had spent any amount of time as a snake, and she definitely spent a lot of time in his company.

 _He means Kinana…_

* * *

Gajeel, having been brought up to speed by Pantherlily after Gorun had teleported them in the path of the stone dragon, which had been preparing to make a light dinner out of Blue Pegasus, grinned as he stared up at the ugly beast before him. "Iron beats rock any day," he grinned confidently, though his exceed's account of what had happened to Gorun and Natsu definitely saw him keeping his guard up.

" **You maggots came out of the dirt, and to the dirt I'll send you back** ," the stone dragon sneered at him.

"Funny, the only dirt I see around here is this walking canyon clod," Gajeel sneered right back, reaching deep within for the power he sought as he spoke. "Maybe I'll make a nice rock garden out of you when I'm done."

 _A need, not a desire…_ he thought silently. _The hell does that even mean?!_

" **I'm going to enjoy making a meal out of you,** " the brown dragon shot back. " **And when I'm done with you, your friends are next. Can't expect to get a full meal out of something so little as you, can I?** "

For whatever reason, as soon as the dragon mentioned his friends, memories of training hard with Pantherlily and talking to Levy in the bar back at the guild hall seared through his mind. Glaring up at his enemy with red, hate-filled eyes, Gajeel growled, "You can insult me all you want, you stupid lizard. But don't _ever_ threaten _them_!"

His vision pulsed red, and he felt the power he sought shift easily into his grasp, the strength he had wanted for so long, even if he denied it to himself, but never needed until now. Black scales grew over his skin, encasing him completely, and his hair took on a new sheen that had not been present before. Pantherlily noticed with trace alarm that his comrade's powers were growing exponentially, and the rate it was happening, in conjecture with his new look, it could only mean one thing.

"This must be his Dragon Force…" he mused out loud, readying himself for what would be the fight of their lives.

* * *

Elsewhere, Kinana was struggling to hold back the fire dragon alongside Laxus and the Thunder Legion. She had elected to lend them a hand instead of retreating with some of the other girls, who were seeing to the evacuation of the city. " _Gallick GUN!_ " she screamed, sending the laser blast at where she thought his face would be- with his entire body being made of fire as it was, it was difficult to tell what was what.

" _Lightning Dragon HEAVENWARD HALBERD!_ " Laxus bellowed, his torso exposed due to his expanded muscles and scaly arms ripping through his shirt. He had accessed his 'psuedo Dragon Force' as he called it, and was attempting to put its power to good use, though Atlas Flame was certainly giving them a hard time of it.

Without even making a move to defend himself, the dragon had injured Makarov's hands so badly that the old man wouldn't be able to fight for the rest of the battle unless a healer saw him. Seeing as Makarov was still ranked as a Wizard Saint, one of the strongest ten wizards on the continent of Ishgar, this boded poorly for them.

Even so, they put their best feet forward and struck at him as hard as they could. "D'ya think that did anything?!" Kinana called out over the sound of the resulting explosions.

Laxus didn't answer, simply waiting for the smoke to clear.

A few seconds later, there stood Atlas Flame, seemingly as invulnerable as Acnologia had been to their attacks on Tenrou Island. " **My hellfire incinerates all magic that comes near me!** " he bellowed. " **That didn't even tickle!** "

"Dammit!" Laxus seethed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but… Where the hell is Natsu?! He's a Fire Dragon Slayer, he'd be able to take this thing on!"

* * *

The slayer in question was getting to his feet, using his scarf to bind a cut that he'd received from the torn-up pavement with Lucy's help. "I told you not to go," she said bitterly. "You could have been killed, Natsu! I couldn't take that again!"

"Yeah, like I'm gonna sit back while everyone else is out there risking their lives, fighting dragons," the boy replied snappily as she finished tying the makeshift bandage in place with her hand and teeth. "I ain't givin' up that easily."

"Aye, sir!" Happy added, sprouting his wings in preparation to rejoin the fight.

"You'll die, I know it!" Lucy wailed, unable to contain herself any longer. Tears running down her cheeks in rivulets, she threw herself against him, wrapping her one good arm around his chest in a vain attempt to get him to stay. "Please… don't leave me all alone again," she begged, sniffling. "Do you have any idea what that's like?"

He paused, the thought of Lucy being devoured by a ferocious dragon burning through his mind hotter than a breath attack from Igneel. _No…_ he thought angrily. _I_ won't _let that happen! Never!_

"I told you, Lucy," Natsu said as he gently gripped her arm without looking back, his tone giving no sign of the seething hatred building up inside of him. "I won't give up. I won't stop until this world is safe for all of us, and we can go on more adventures together, just like you wanted." He paused before adding in a lower voice, "I _have_ to protect you… You're what matters to me."

"Natsu..?" the girl whimpered, suddenly conscious of the fact that Natsu's body was becoming unbearably heated, to the point where smoke was rising from his skin. "What…?"

"Hey pal, what's goin' on?" Happy questioned, noticing that Natsu's magic power was rapidly increasing.

"Guess I found my trigger," the pinkette grinned, clenching his fists, even as red scales grew on his forearms and cheeks. Lucy could no longer take the heat, and was forced to release him, blowing on her arm to try and cool the limb down.

Natsu looked back at Lucy, that familiar spark in his eyes as he grinned widely at her. "I know what's important now," he told her. "Thanks, Lucy. You've always been there when I needed ya. Glad to see that doesn't change in the future." Flames were licking at his scales as he stood tall, ready to continue the fight.

"Happy, get Lucy somewhere safe," he told the blue cat, who looked surprised.

"But how will you get back in time to help?" he asked Natsu.

In response, Natsu was surrounded by a cocoon of flames that carried him up into the sky, leaving both Happy and Lucy open-mouthed with surprise. "I stood up to ten thousand dragons before, I can take seven on, no problem!" he laughed down at them. "I'll meet up with you guys later! Right now, I'm goin' _dragon hunting!_ "

* * *

 **Gorun: All right, now we're getting into the thick of things!**

 **Saiki: Are you sure it was realistic for all of them to be able to access their Dragon Force so readily?**

 **Mataras: I don't see why not. They've always been able to do it, they just needed to figure out how. From what I can gather, Dragon Force seems to have similar mechanics to Super Saiyan, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch for Gorun to be able to teach them.**

 **Saiki: Ah.**

 **Mataras: For those of you that still want to be able to check out the image of Lucino, even though I took it down from this site, it's still up and alive on my instagram at the_red_swordsman**

 **Gorun: When will the next chapter be up?**

 **Mataras: Should be at the beginning for February, and the title will be Beyond the Touch of Time.**

 **Saiki: Also be sure to check out Mataras' new story; Fire Sword Shrouded Destiny, which went up last week.**

 **Mataras: Until next time, have a Happy New Year!**

* * *

 _Next Time on Saiyan Tail..._

Gorun's mind felt as though it was filled with a thousand hot firebrands- he could barely form a cohesive thought. He did, however, remember that the dragon in front of him needed to die. _And die he will,_ he promised himself.

"How about we set dragon against dragon?!" he shouted, settling into a fighting stance mid-air, drawing his right fist back as if preparing to throw a punch. However, the energy erupting from his body lent itself to the thought that this was not going to be a simple punch. _I don't have long in this form,_ he thought as he prepared the attack. _I need to end this… soon!_ Already he could feel his vast reserves of energy draining rapidly, like a broken dam releasing all the water it had kept back.

"Ready to die, dragon?!" he challenged.

" **Real cute, blondie!** " Zirconis laughed. " **I already told ya- no human can beat a dragon!** "

"I'm not human," Gorun replied, his green eyes wild with power and maybe a hint of madness. "I… am the Super Saiyan of Fairy Tail! _And you can burn in hell!_ "


	15. Beyond the Touch of Time

**A/N: Just saw the new 'Broly' movie...**

 **.**

 **..**

 **...**

 **has overloaded due to sheer nerdy-ness. Please enjoy the following chapter** **with his best wishes.**

 **OP Song: Strike Back (original or cover by Nathan Sharp)**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 12_

 **Beyond the Touch of Time**

" **Dragon Force, huh?** " Zirconis muttered as he stared down at Wendy, his expression uncertain. He had never encountered the final form of the dragon slayers before, only heard tale of the destruction it had reaped upon his kind. If even half the stories were true, he knew he would have to be on guard. Still…

" **If you think a little change in hairstyle is gonna be enough to beat me, you've got another thing coming, little girl,** " he sneered at her. Dragon Force or not, she was young and inexperienced- she didn't have the look of a killer in her eye. Zirconis on the other hand, had no compunctions about killing her and everyone else present.

Wendy's eyes narrowed, and in the next instant, she was gone. Zirconis barely had time to register the fact before he was being blasted with a cyclone from up above with enough force to send him crashing into the ground. It was more surprising than anything, but it still winded the giant dragon.

" _Holy crap!_ " Lucino exclaimed. " _Wendy kicks butt!_ "

"She _is_ a dragon slayer," Mirajane pointed out with a grin. "And I think we've yet to meet a slayer that couldn't cause crazy levels of destruction."

"Let's be ready to back her up, just in case," Cana said, reaching into her pouch to ready her magic cards. "We still have no idea what this dragon's magic is, or how much of a fight he'll be willing to put up."

Mira, Lucino, and Juvia nodded and prepared their magics, waiting for the first moment to strike.

Meanwhile, Zirconis was now enraged, shaking himself as he glared up at Wendy, who had used a Vernier spell to keep herself aloft, glaring coldly at the beast. " **You little brat!** " the dragon roared as he took flight, jaws wide open to devour her whole.

"Sky Dragon…" Wendy replied, then vanished with inhuman speed once again, reappearing to deliver a thunderous kick to Zirconis' side, right below his armpit. " _Talon!_ " The green dragon bellowed in pain, swiping at the little girl with his claws, only to grasp at empty air.

" **Stay still, you pest!** " he shouted angrily.

* * *

"What do you want with Ki- Cubellios?" Gorun demanded, his protective instincts kicking into high gear.

Cobra's eyebrows went downward as he replied, "That's none of your business."

"It is if you want me to take you to her," Gorun shot back.

Cobra growled briefly before saying, "She's an old friend of mine. I wanted to catch up with her, make sure she's okay."

"I can vouch for her safety," the Saiyan boy said tightly.

"Your word doesn't mean jack squat to me, kid," Cobra snorted. "Bottom line is, either you take me to see Cubellios, or you're short a dragon slayer."

"You'd risk the safety of the world just to spite us?!" Lahar exclaimed.

"Can it, sideliner," Cobra snapped at him. "Cubellios means the world to me, so yeah, I'm willing to gamble on the fact that you suckers _need_ me."

"Enough," Gorun snarled, grabbing the slayer's attention once again. He held his gaze for a moment, then muttered, "When the battle is over, I'll take you to see her- provided she doesn't object."

"Fine by me," Cobra shrugged. "Don't really see how a snake is gonna voice its objections, though." He gripped Gorun's hand as the boy extended it to him.

"She's not a snake anymore, you idiot," the Saiyan boy berated him.

"Wait, wha-?"

They vanished via Gorun's instant transmission, leaving two bewildered magic council enforcers behind. "Sideliner?" Lahar repeated incredulously.

"He may have a point," Doranbolt sighed heavily. "We're not doing much good out here."

"Hmph," Lahar scowled. Much as he hated agreeing with a convicted criminal, he knew that his deputy and Cobra were right. "Let's change that, then. Gather our men and have them assist with the evacuations alongside the wizards already doing so."

"You got it, boss."

* * *

Kinana and the Thunder Legion were at their wits' end. They'd tried a dozen different combinations against Atlas Flame, all to no effect. It seemed that his boasts regarding his body's ability to incinerate all manner of magic were true.

"So…" Freed gasped, out of breath. "Anyone know if there is such a thing as a Water Dragon Slayer?"

"I've never heard of one," Laxus muttered, returning to his normal form.

"Well, I think that we've got a Fire Dragon Slayer inbound," Bickslow said as he pointed to the sky. They all followed his gaze, and were surprised to see a brightly colored fireball headed right for Atlas Flame at high speeds, Natsu at its head.

"Natsu!" Kinana called out in relief. "This is perfect!"

" **Hmm?** " Atlas Flame muttered, sensing something was wrong. He turned around just in time to have Natsu slam into him, piercing through his body to land in front of his guild mates.

"Sorry I'm late to the party, guys," he grinned crookedly, even as the others recoiled from his bizarre appearance. "But now we can really get started!"

"Natsu, are you…? What's happened to you?" Freed asked, his eyes wide as he stared at Natsu's newly acquired scales.

"Gorun taught us how to power up with our dragon force," Natsu replied casually. "Now I'm _really_ fired up!"

"How'd you know to come here?" Kinana asked him.

"Well, I was gonna go beat up that jerk on top of the metal dragon that's flying around up there, but then I got a better idea," he replied, his grin widening rapidly. Turning around to face Atlas Flame, who had recomposed his body, he added, "This power takes a lot of energy to keep up since I'm not really used to it. But then I saw a big walking pile of fire, so I decided to make a pit stop at the buffet!"

" _WHAT?!_ " everyone shouted at him.

"All right, I'm hungry and it's dinner time!" Natsu laughed as he shot towards Atlas Flame, rebounding off of a nearby building and landing on his target's neck. As soon as he had a solid grip on the dragon, he bared his fangs and began to feast on the flames that made up his being.

" **You vermin!** " Atlas Flame bellowed sounding both surprised and furious. " **You dare?! You think you can** _ **eat**_ **me?!** "

"Oh, I know I can!" Natsu shouted through a mouthful of flames. "I'm getting' stronger by the second, and this fire tastes delicious!"

"He's… He's actually gonna eat that dragon," Kinana muttered, dumbstruck. She'd seen a lot of crazy things since becoming an active wizard, but this had to the weirdest.

"Hey, guys!" Natsu shouted as Atlas Flame began trying to buck him off. "See if you can help any of the other guilds around here!"

"You wanna fight this thing alone?!" Laxus shouted back. "Are you insane?!"

"He may have a good point, actually," Freed interjected. "Clearly, his magic is suited for this, while ours is completely ineffective. Natsu can handle this on his own. Other guilds are not so fortunate to have a dragon slayer in their ranks. We should go see if any of them need help."

Laxus pondered his friend's words for a moment before he looked back over to Natsu, who was holding on while Atlas Flame tried to scrape him off his back with a house. "You sure you're gonna be okay, Natsu?!" he called.

"Yeah man, I got this!" Natsu cackled through another full mouth. "Go! Help the others!"

"Rrrgh… All right, but I better not come back and find out that you lost!" Laxus called over his shoulder as he and the Thunder Legion began to retreat toward the palace.

"Good luck, Natsu!" Kinana called as she flew after the others.

* * *

" _Iron Dragon CLUB!_ " Gajeel bellowed, sending forth a black pillar of iron to crash into the stone dragon's head, dislodging several stones from its face in the process.

" **ARGH!** " the monster bellowed in pain. It wasn't the first hit Gajeel had landed, but it was certainly the most telling so far. " **You think you're so clever, flying around and hitting from a distance?! Well, guess what?! I can do that, too!** " It opened its maw, yellowish energy shining from within its throat.

Gajeel thought fast. Even if he could counter the oncoming breath attack with his own- which he doubted that he could- the blowback would still decimate several city blocks, at least. He needed something quick and preferably painful to the dragon to keep it from firing that blast at all.

 _Guess there's no time like the present to try out the new spell that Mavis gave me,_ he thought resignedly. " _Iron Dragon…_ " he growled, raising his right hand above his head. A disc made of metal conjured above his palm, thin as paper, but unbelievably hard and razor-sharp. " _DESTRUCTO-DISC!_ " He bellowed the name of the attack as he cast his hand forward, hurling the deadly spell at breakneck speed toward the dragon.

The Frisbee-like spell sliced straight through the dragon's left forefoot, cutting all the way through the limb at the ankle. The dragon howled in agony, throwing its head skyward on reflex, and unleashing its breath attack at the same time. It wasn't quite what Gajeel had been hoping for, but at least he had avoided destroying a square mile of city property.

He was starting to wonder when he started caring so much about preventing unnecessary damage when the dragon's tail slammed into him, sending him and Pantherlily through several buildings.

* * *

"So, this one's mine?" Cobra mused as he stared down at the black-and-red dragon from a rooftop that had yet to be damaged during the dragon's rampage. "Doesn't look too bad."

"You say that now, but their power levels are absurd," Gorun muttered as he watched the unfolding scene before them. Twilight Ogre was putting up a valiant effort, surprisingly enough, but their power and magic styles were in no way suited for this kind of combat. "Do you want me to bring someone along who can provide solid backup?"

"Nah, this'll be more fun," Cobra grinned arrogantly. "Go help someone who needs it."

"I'll be back in a little while anyway," Gorun scowled. "Can't have you running off on us, now can we?"

Cobra shot him a glare and replied, "I ain't goin' anywhere until I've met up with Cubellios. Count on that."

"Hmph," his temporary ally snorted. "Fair enough." He hesitated, then added begrudgingly, "Good luck." Finished speaking, he put his fingers to his head and vanished.

* * *

He reappeared in front of the castle to see the army watching in a mixture of terror and awe as Wendy seemed to be single-handedly giving Zirconis a beat down he wasn't soon to forget. She was everywhere at once, and in his base form, even Gorun was having a hard time keeping track of where she was every time she moved to attack.

He was surprised- she seemed to have unlocked the power of the Dragon Force and was handling it masterfully, despite her youth. He noted briefly that the girls were all waiting on standby, ready to let loose the minute that Wendy might falter.

Seeing that the situation was more or less under control, he landed by the princess and Arcadios, startling them with his sudden appearance. "Has anyone been hurt?" he asked as he approached them.

"Other than minor injuries sustained during the dragons' entrance, no," Arcadios replied. "Listen, we-"

"Save it," Gorun said shortly. "I'm not interested in any apologies you might have to offer. What's important right now is that there are still citizens in the city that have yet to evacuate. Some of the lower-caliber wizards are helping with that, but there's not enough people. Think you can do something about that?" He gestured at all the soldiers behind them as he spoke. "They'd be better off helping the ordinary folks get out of here- not like they've got the equipment to take on a dragon."

"He makes a good point," Darton said as he nodded amicably. "We're no good in this fight, Colonel. We should leave this to the wizards and get the princess to safety."

"I will not abandon this fight!" Hisui objected. "I brought this calamity upon us, and I must stay to see that it is resolved."

"Why?" Gorun asked, exasperated, wincing as a particularly strong blast of wind screamed overhead, and demolished a section of the castle wall. "Your presence here will only be a distraction, if not a nuisance. Wendy and I need to be able to let loose with our full power, and we can't do that with you guys standing around!"

"I am the princess, and I will stay if I choose," the woman replied stubbornly.

"Then we're not responsible for what happens if you get caught up in the fight," Gorun said heavily. "And how would that turn out, the nation losing its sole heir to the throne?"

"Are you threatening her?!" Arcadios demanded, reaching for his sword before remembering that Natsu had broken it.

"No, I'm informing her of the unnecessary risks involved in staying behind," Gorun said dryly. "Look, I don't have time for this. Stay or don't, but things are about to really pick up speed here." He had been keeping an eye on the powers clashing the short distance away from where they stood, and he detected a strong surge in energy from Zirconis, which spelled bad news for his guild mate.

" _HaaaaAAH!_ " His hair shot upwards and turned blond, his eyes flashing with an emerald light as a golden magic circle appeared overhead, followed by another, slightly larger one that crackled with electricity. Drawing in a deep breath, he let out another shout as the two circles vanished, leaving his hair even spikier than before while lightning danced across his body. The blowback from the energy increase forced everyone near to him back up several paces, Arcadios moving to protect his princess with his own armored body.

"Deploy your troops, Colonel," Gorun ordered, his voice harsh and cold. "They're all in the splash zone." Then he was gone in a golden blur, racing through the night sky to challenge Zirconis alongside Wendy.

"I think it would be best if we at least moved to a safer distance, Princess," Darton said nervously. "I'm no wizard, but I can feel the energy that boy and these dragons have been putting out. It's not safe here."

"I must-"

"Princess!" Arcadios said, a little harsher than he meant to. Lowering his volume, he added, "Much as I hate to agree with him, you _are_ the future of this kingdom. I cannot allow you to come to harm. We must go, now."

Hisui looked back from the looming battle to Arcadios, then to Darton, then back to the fight again. "I will retreat outside the castle, but no further," she announced, relenting a little.

"Very well, I will escort you," Arcadios said, breathing a huge sigh of relief. "Darton, can you see to the men helping the evacuation?"

"I will," the small minister nodded. "Now let's get going, before she changes her mind."

* * *

Meanwhile, Gorun had just made a grand entrance, appearing behind Zirconis' head and bellowing, " _Big Bang Attack!_ " The blue sphere blasted the green dragon at point-blank, causing him to grimace under the impact before Wendy hit him with another concussive kick in his side.

Snarling in fury, his power level shot upward, and Gorun realized that he had made a mistake in getting in so close. The dragon's fist caught him a glancing blow in the chest, though he managed to evade the attack for the most part. Still, it sent him crashing into the Eclipse Gate, winding him badly, though it was nowhere near as bad as the first hit he had taken from the metallic dragon.

Wendy, inexperienced as she was, had unconsciously settled into a pattern of attack that Zirconis could now predict. Moving faster than they all expected, he head-butted the little girl out of the air, tearing part of her clothing with his rough scales. " _Augh!_ " she screamed as she plummeted to the earth.

"Wendy!" Carla cried out in fear as she saw her best friend falling.

"No you don't!" Gorun grunted before using his blinding speed to snatch the little girl up before she could hit the ground and injure herself further. "I gotcha, kid!" He landed next to the others and glared up at the dragon, who was laughing down at them.

"Wendy, are you all right?!" Carla asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the little girl grunted as she looked down at her ruined outfit. Fortunately, the damage had only extended to her dress' midriff, leaving a shallow cut through the torn fabric, but it wasn't too bad, all things considered.

" **I gotta admit, you threw me off there for a minute, cutie,** " Zirconis smirked. " **I haven't met a human with that much spunk before. But it's pointless. In the end, you're just a human, and I'm a dragon. To me, you're nothing more than a snack.** "

"And what about a Super Saiyan?!" Gorun snarled, setting Wendy down so that she could stand on her own. She wobbled for a second, but quickly regained her footing and stood alongside her guild mates.

" **No idea what that is, but I don't really like eating guys- too tough and gamey,** " Zirconis said dismissively. " **Girls, though… Nice and tender.** " He licked his chops, sending shivers down the spines of the female wizards.

" _I said eyes to yourself, creep!_ " Lucino shouted defiantly.

"My body is reserved for Gray, and Gray alone!" Juvia added.

"You're just a perv, like almost every other guy I know!" Cana shouted at him.

"Well, I guess he does have one thing in common with humans, then," Mirajane laughed nervously. "Boys are boys, it seems."

"Hey!" Gorun, shouted, offended. "I'm not like that overgrown lizard! Or most of the guys in our guild, either!"

" _Gorun! Can you hear me?!_ " the boy was startled to suddenly hear Warren's voice, but he quickly recovered his composure.

 _Kinda in the middle of something!_ He replied snappily.

" _This can't wait,"_ the telepath replied quickly. " _You know that big metal-looking dragon? The one that weirdo is riding on?_ "

 _Yeah, that thing almost killed me,_ he replied dryly. _Why, what about it?_

" _Turns out it was carrying a bunch of eggs! They hatched almost immediately, and now we're dealing with an army of 'em!_ " The other mage's voice was panicked.

And with good reason, Gorun thought. _All right, I'll send a couple of the girls to assist you,_ he told the other man. _But we're still dealing with our own crisis right now._

" _Got it,_ " Warren replied, sounding relieved. Then the connection was severed, and Gorun's mind was clear again.

"Listen up!" the ascended Super Saiyan shouted to the others. "Baby dragons have taken the city! I need a couple of you to go and help the others fight them off! From what Warren was saying, it doesn't seem like things are going well! You need to-!"

" **All this arguing and standing around is getting boring,** " Zirconis drawled, cutting him off. " **So, who's gonna be first? I think the little girl, since she tried to mess up my handsome face.** " So saying, he began to descend towards them once again.

" _I don't think so, pal!_ " Lucino shouted, the emblem on her hand changing to that of Scorpio. " _Eat a Sand Buster!_ " From her outstretched hand, a pillar of sand shot out, striking the dragon in the eyes, blinding him and causing him to crash into the ground a lot harder than he had meant to.

" _Evil EXPLOSION!_ " Mirajane shouted in her demon form, casting a black sphere that exploded in his face, much like Gorun's Big Bang Attack.

" _Hydro Beam CANNON!_ " Juvia added, aiming for his wing that was closer to them. Normally, her water attacks would have barely left a mark. Now, with the spell designed to pierce almost any defense, her attack punched through his wing and left a bloody hole in its wake. "Let's see you fly around with that wound, monster!" she shouted at him as he bellowed in pain.

"Nice!" Gorun said approvingly.

"My turn!" Wendy shouted, stepping forward. As she drew in a breath and raised her hands above her head, Gorun noticed with a sinking feeling that she was missing the white feathers he had noticed on her earlier, and her hair was not standing up as much as it had been.

 _Uh-oh,_ he thought as she launched her attack.

" _Sky Dragon DOUBLE SUNDAY!_ " Twin cyclones shot out of her palms, striking Zirconis as he started to get up, throwing him on his side and knocking the wind out of him again. However, as she did, she drained the last of her magic energy, and her body reverted back to its original form, blue hair and brown eyes replacing her magenta shades.

"Uh-oh," Gorun repeated, out loud this time. He might be stronger than Wendy, but his magic power wasn't going to do nearly as much damage to the dragon as hers' would. Even worse, the others wouldn't even make a scratch on the beast- with the exception of Juvia's new spell, but it took too long to charge to make it effective- which meant that ineffective magic or not, he was their best shot at taking down Zirconis.

He considered his options briefly, then decided to go with his gut. "Guys," he said as Zirconis began to heave himself up, bruised but definitely not beaten. "Get away from me. I'm basically about to turn myself into a glass cannon, and there's gonna be one hell of a kickback."

"What are you talking about?" Cana asked him as he prepared to unleash even more power, settling himself into a slightly wider stance. "What are you up to?"

"Seriously, _run!_ " he barked, startling them a bit. "I need room to do this, and I don't want any of you getting hurt! Besides, the others still need support!" As he spoke, they were further made nervous by how high his power level was going, and the rate at which it was doing so.

"I suggest we do as he says!" Carla shouted to be heard above the wind that was beginning to emanate from the boy, faster and even fiercer than when he had become a Super Saiyan 2. "It's dangerous!" She grabbed Wendy's dress and began to fly back, away from the Saiyan warrior. The others followed her, but they all kept glancing over their shoulders, wondering what on earth their alien friend was up to now.

"Second Origin, _release!_ " Gorun shouted once they were a reasonable distance away. The moment he unleashed his hidden reservoir of energy, the city around him began to tremble, buildings shaking and losing roof tiles. Windows were shattered as a new magic circle appeared over his head, this one absolutely blazing with lightning. Even the ocean began to respond, massive waves racing away from the coastline as mountaintops started to crumble.

"What is this?!" Wendy shouted to be heard above the tremendous noise. Juvia had taken off, saying that she wished to go help the others fight the infant dragons. After a moment's hesitation, Lucino had decided to follow her, since the Eclipse Gate was shut tight.

"I think we're about to see Gorun's true power!" Mirajane responded to Wendy's query.

"This is even more power than that time my dad fought Natsu!" Cana added, eyes wide. "Just how strong can this guy get?!"

 _I haven't mastered Super Saiyan 2 yet,_ Gorun thought grimly as he felt the energy of the new magic circle begin to course through him. _But this is the only option I can think of. I just hope the backlash doesn't kill me!_

* * *

All around the city, wizards and dragons alike took note of the insane amount of power that Gorun was putting out. Among them, Kinana looked toward the palace, eyes wide. "I don't believe it," she murmured. "He only just used Super Saiyan 2 for the first time…"

"What's that crazy boy up to now?!" Makarov grunted, his hands still aching from the burn wounds he had received. "If he keeps this up, he's going to turn the entire country into a pile of rubble!"

"He's going further beyond…" Kinana answered vaguely.

* * *

Gorun screamed loud and long, the sound drawn out from a mixture of the rush his new power was giving him, and the agony of the same source. He felt like he could destroy a galaxy if he chose, but it felt as though every cell in his body was on fire. He could barely maintain the concentration he needed to complete the transformation, and he had only just begun. He could feel his hair lengthening as it touched the nape of his neck, but he wasn't even halfway there.

" **What's this now?** " Zirconis growled, eyes narrowed as he glared at Gorun with hate. " **Another one of those pesky transformations? Don't think I'll just let you power up again!** " Despite the wind and raging golden energy surrounding Gorun, he made his way toward the boy, not even slowing down for the maelstrom.

* * *

"We have to help him!" Wendy cried, but Carla held her back.

"We can't get in close!" the white cat objected. "That much energy could seriously hurt one of us!"

"I don't need to get in close!" Wendy argued. "I just need to be close enough to hit him with a breath attack so that it slows him down long enough for Gorun to finish whatever it is that he's doing!"

"But you're dangerously low on power!" Mira reminded her. "Use any more, and you could end up getting Magic Power Deficiency Syndrome!"

"I don't care!" the Sky Dragon Slayer shouted. "Gorun's giving it his all, and he saved me! I have to repay him!"

"Hold your horses, kid," Cana said as she pulled out one of her cards. "Let's just make sure you don't go passing out after you do your thing, all right?"

* * *

Zirconis was closing in on Gorun, who was about two-thirds of the way through the painful transformation. " **Time to die, you puny human!** " he bellowed, opening his mouth wide to swallow the boy whole.

That's when Wendy's breath attack hit him in the jaw, sending him staggering and causing his teeth to snap on empty air. " **Rrgh… You're really starting to test my patience, brat!** " he snarled, fixing his glare on Wendy.

She didn't have her dragon force, but even so, it was a solid hit, and for the moment, it had served its purpose. "Why don't you come over here and say that?!" one of the other wizards taunted him, the one with brown hair. "Or are you scared of the kid dragon slayer?!"

" **All right, that does it!** " the green dragon snarled furiously. " **I'm just gonna eat all you girls together!** "

"Try it and you'll feel my claws!" the tiny white cat shouted at him, causing him to chuckle.

" **Oh no, I'm so scared,** " he said mockingly. " **Actually, cats do make nice appetizers…** "

"Hey, dragon…" a voice grunted from behind him. Zirconis looked around to see the blond wizard, his hair nearly reaching his waist now. He was doubled over, and it seemed as though it was physically painful for him to speak. "Your fight… is over here!"

" **You people think you scare me cos you're growing your hair out and getting a little increase in magic?** " the lizard snorted. " **Please. The worst you can do is tickle me.** "

"We'll… see… about that!" he shouted, his hair now reaching past his waistline. Now he glared up at Zirconis, drew in a deep breath, then bellowed at the top of his lungs, " _Takeover: SAIYAN SOUL!_ " There was blinding flash of light that enveloped the entire castle, and when it finally faded enough for everyone to see, his transformation was complete.

Long, spiky blond hair that reached halfway down his legs. Unlike the other transformations, his hair was not standing on end this time, but drawn backwards, save for two bangs that stuck out over his eyes, which for some reason, no longer had eyebrows. His muscles were more defined than ever, and lightning constantly crackled along them and his lengthened hair.

When he spoke, his voice was slightly deeper, and etched with a growl. "You're gonna wish you'd stayed down after Wendy hit you," he told the dragon. "The last dragon to witness the might of Super Saiyan 3 did not live to tell the tale." He was speaking of Hirudegarn, the evil dragon-monster defeated by Goku and his friends in an age past, though of course Zirconis would have no way of knowing that.

Gorun's mind felt as though it was filled with a thousand hot firebrands- he could barely form a cohesive thought. He did, however, remember that the dragon in front of him needed to die. _And die he will,_ he promised himself.

"How about we set dragon against dragon?!" he shouted, settling into a fighting stance mid-air, drawing his right fist back as if preparing to throw a punch. However, the energy erupting from his body lent itself to the thought that this was not going to be a simple punch. _I don't have long in this form,_ he thought as he prepared the attack. _I need to end this… soon!_ Already he could feel his vast reserves of energy draining rapidly, like a broken dam releasing all the water it had kept back.

"Ready to die, dragon?!" he challenged.

" **Real cute, blondie!** " Zirconis laughed. " **I already told ya- no human can beat a dragon!** "

"I'm not human," Gorun replied, his green eyes wild with power and maybe a hint of madness. "I… am the Super Saiyan of Fairy Tail! _And you can burn in hell!_ " A golden light a shade brighter than his aura shone from his right fist as he drew back even further. " _Dragon FIST!_ "

A golden serpentine dragon's head appeared around Gorun's body as he launched himself at a speed that rendered him nothing but a blur to the onlookers. Its body, thought mostly coiled up, stretched for some miles, making it visible to everyone in the city. It let out a savage roar as it collided with Zirconis, smashing him into the ground and destroying a multitude of city blocks just from the shockwaves resulting from the collision.

The attack kicked up so much dust and debris that the wizards could not see what had become of their comrade.

* * *

"What was that?!" Future Rogue demanded from atop Mother Glare, the Adamantine Dragon that he was currently riding.

"That…?" Natsu grinned from his position of Atlas Flame's neck. "That's Gorun, proving that we can change the future." He had befriended the Hellfire Dragon after learning that he was close friends with Igneel during the course of their own battle, and as a result, Atlas Flame had managed to shake off the effects of Rogue's Dragon Tamer magic. Now he was prepared to fight to the death for the sake of his king's son.

"You Fairy Tail wizards just don't know when to give up, do you?!" Rogue snarled, sending rays of light to strike at Natsu and his companion.

"Damn right!" Natsu shouted, countering with a wing attack fueled by his dragon's flames. "C'mon, Uncle! Let's show him what a real dragon and rider look like!" Atlas Flame growled an agreement as he lunged at Mother Glare, scorching her metallic scales and beginning the battle anew.

* * *

It took a long time for the dust to settle enough for the others to see him, but when the debris was finally out of the air, the girls were shocked to see the state that both combatants were in. Gorun was on the ground, looking like he could barely stand, though his power output seemed as strong as ever, the ground around him cracking and shifting from his presence alone.

Zirconis didn't look too well, either. His scales on the side where Gorun had hit him were turning a very unhealthy shade of purple, and blood was leaking from his mouth. " **You…** " he gasped, enraged and in pain. " **You can't… beat me! You're just… a stupid human!** "

"Not all of me," the boy muttered. That attack had cost him a lot more energy than he had predicted it would. Obviously, Super Saiyan 3 was too much for his body to handle right now. However, it _was_ the most telling blow dealt to the dragon thus far. _One more of those, and I could finish him,_ he realized.

Unfortunately, he knew that he didn't have another one of those in him. It was an unfamiliar technique, and he couldn't handle its energy properly, just like his new form. _But maybe…_

"Wendy…" Gorun panted, short on breath from the energy he had spent. "I don't know how long I can hold this form… But I need every increase in attack power you can give me."

"O-Okay," the bluenette nodded, still in awe of his freshly awoken power. "Just say when, and I'll give it my all!"

"Good, because after this shot, there won't be another," he growled as he glared his enemy in the eye, who regarded him smugly in return, despite his injuries.

" **What'll you do**?" it taunted him. " **Tickle me until I can't breathe anymore?** "

"Oh, I don't know…" Gorun snarled, white-hot rage fueling his power once more. "You might find that this stings!" He flung his arms out to the side, driving his energy levels through the roof as he prepared his most powerful technique of all. _This might kill me,_ he thought grimly. _But… I don't care! I'll give everything, if it means they can all live!_

As he drew his hands back together, lightning danced forth from his palms, some of them glancing off his enemy, who laughed in amusement, though he winced as one particular bolt glanced off his injured side. " **Oho! That's much better! I think I can feel that!** "

"In just a minute, all you'll be _feeling,_ " Gorun seethed, his Saiyan blood urging him to push harder, destroy this insolent creature. " _…is OBLIVION!_ "

" **Bold claim, small fry** ," the beast laughed, standing up straight to face the oncoming attack head-on. " **Let's see you back it up**."

" _Now_ , Wendy!"

"O stalwart might to cleave the heavens… _Ile ARMS!_ " the girl cried.

Gorun felt his already considerable power double as the final bits of energy finished gathering in his hands. " _Final… FLASH!_ " Zirconis was enveloped in a yellow beam of monstrous proportions- as was everything else in its path. Vegeta's technique carved a straight line through numerous sections of the city before its angle carried it upward, shearing through one of Magnolia's higher mountains, and continuing all the way out into space.

The last thing Gorun saw before the darkness claimed him was the crumpled body of Zirconis, missing a wing and smoke rising from his scales, many of which were missing. _We did it…_ Then he knew no more.

* * *

Everyone noticed the attack that obliterated a chunk of the city and its scenery. It brought fear to most of those that saw it, but smiles to the faces of the majority of Fairy Tail wizards who witnessed the attack.

"Now that's how you take out a dragon," Gajeel muttered to himself as he floated above the stone dragon, which was being forced to limp due to the missing leg. His grin widened as he added, "Guess I better do the same."

"What's that?" Pantherlily asked.

"Do me a favor, Lily," Gajeel said as he looked over at his partner. "Drop me right on top of his ugly mug."

"You have a plan?" the exceed asked, slightly alarmed by the request.

"Course I do," the Iron Dragon Slayer replied, grinning crookedly. "Trust me."

"All right," the black flying cat nodded. "But no suicide attacks, understand? I don't want to have to explain to Levy why you got yourself killed."

"Why should you be afraid of that shrimp?" Gajeel inquired. "You can turn into a giant!"

Pantherlily regarded him silently for a moment before saying, "Didn't she manage to get in a good hit on you during the Tenrou Island test?"

This gave Gajeel pause. "Huh," he muttered. "Good point. All right, I promise not to die. Happy?"

"No, but go anyway!" Pantherlily said as he released his hold on his partner.

Gajeel laughed to himself as he fell feet-first toward the ground at high speed, the metal in his body causing him to plummet with greater force than most humans would. "Your time's up, ugly!" he taunted the wounded dragon bellow.

" **You think an injury like this will stop me?!** " the stone dragon retorted. " **Dragon Slayer or not, you're still weak, inferior!** "

"Wrong!" Gajeel snapped as a large gray-and-green magic circle appeared beneath him. "I'm a Fairy Tail wizard, which means only one of us is goin' down, and it sure as hell ain't me! _Dragon Slayer Secret Art!_ " His legs fused and transformed, becoming like a large drill as he began whirling himself at high speed, further increasing his momentum. " _Karmic Demon: IRON SPIRAL!_ "

He plunged into the dragon's body near its rump, which wasn't quite what he'd been going for, but the effect was much the same. He broke off its tail in the process, which brought a large grin to his face as the dragon screamed in agony. From the wound, sand began to leak out, not unlike blood. "That's for the smackdown you gave me earlier!" he shouted, even though it was a lucky coincidence.

The dragon's only response was to collapse from the sheer agony and shock. As it did, Gajeel turned and gave Pantherlily a thumbs-up. _Metalicana, wherever you are, I sure hope you were watchin' that,_ he added silently as he released his dragon force.

* * *

Romeo, Macao and Wakaba had found themselves surrounded by a group of infant dragons, and it was clear that the older men were tiring out. "I don't know how long we can keep this up!" the older fire wizard confirmed as he blasted back another of the metal menaces.

"Hey dad?" Romeo offered. "I've got something I wanna try, something that might take care of this group. But I'll need your help."

"What're you gonna do?" Wakaba asked.

"Something I've been working on for a while, but I didn't really think was possible until I saw the new spells that Master Mavis gave the team," he answered. "I need to get up high in the air, while you two move to a safer distance."

"I'm not abandoning you!" Macao shouted angrily.

"I'm not asking you to!" Romeo shot back. "But I am asking you to trust me! I'm a Fairy Tail wizard, which means I'm gonna take risks, with or without your approval, Dad! I'm a proud member of this guild, and I have a right to fight, just like you and everyone else!" As he spoke, he blasted back one of the small dragons that was trying to sneak up on them.

"Kid's got a point, Macao," Wakaba said neutrally. "Besides, I'm almost out of power. If the kid has an idea to get us out of this mess, I say we try it."

Macao scowled, then relented somewhat. "We'll get you up in the air, but we're not going any further than that building." He indicated a ruined structure that was less than a block away.

"Fine by me," Romeo grinned, relieved that his father was willing to trust him. "Get me about thirty feet up. That should be enough for what I have in mind."

"Done!" Wakaba shouted as he dodged a miniature breath attack. "Ready, Macao?!"

"Yeah!" Together, they merged their smoke and fire magic under Romeo's feet, pushing up, then launching him to the height that he had requested.

"All right, clear out!" Romeo shouted, raising his hands above his head, even as an orange magic circle appeared in front of him. The two older men wasted no time retreating to the spot Macao had selected.

 _Time to see if all that time watching Gorun's practices was worth it,_ he thought as he gathered the magic he needed. Because although the Super Saiyan didn't know it, Romeo had spent a number of hours watching him practice his combat through the windows of the guild, and had seen the composition of several of his attacks, and had unconsciously memorized a few of them. Now, he added his own spin to one particular magic circle, and was pleased when it didn't blow up in his face immediately. _All right!_

Drawing in a deep breath, he aimed at the half-dozen infant dragons, who were all preparing breath attacks, their maws glowing with white light. " _Scorching Masenko!_ " he shouted, throwing his hands forward. A smaller beam of fire shot out of the improvised magic circle, landing right in the middle of the assembled monsters. The result was a fiery explosion that not only took out the threatening beasts, but also slowed down his descent enough to see that he only had a minor sprain when he landed in the smoldering crater. It wasn't a large blast when compared to most of the other wizards' spells, but he had struck them down with respectable force, especially for someone of his age.

While he didn't have Natsu's resilience to fire, his magic did see that he was somewhat immune to the residual heat, so he limped out of the small crater without sustaining any burns. Macao and Wakaba were back with him by the time he made it out of the blast radius, the purple-haired man beaming with pride.

"That was amazing, Romeo!" he said as he wrapped his son up in a bear hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Guess we're looking at Fairy Tail's newest dragon slayer," Wakaba joked, bringing a grin to Romeo's face.

* * *

Back at the palace, Wendy was using what little strength she had left to keep Gorun from dying of severe magic power depletion. With the threat of Zirconis more or less dealt with- they could sense that he was alive, though just barely- she no longer felt the need to conserve her strength in the case of him coming back to threaten them.

"Child, be careful," Carla admonished her gently as she saw her hands trembling from exhaustion. "We don't need you falling unconscious in trying to save him."

"I have to do what I can," the girl insisted stubbornly. "He did what I couldn't, so this is the least I can do to thank him."

"Why not just give him a senzu bean?" Cana suggested.

"I don't think he's in any condition to eat one right now," Mirajane said worriedly. "Plus, his stash is halfway gone. If Wendy is confident that she can keep him alive, I'm going to trust her abilities."

"Guys!" a familiar voice called from above. They all looked up to see Happy carrying Future Lucy down toward them, both of them looking worried. "What was that huge explosion?!" the blue cat asked as they landed. Then, seeing Gorun as the state he was in, he gasped and added, "Oh no! Is he gonna be okay?"

"Wendy's doing her best, and he's a strong wizard," Mirajane answered. "I'm sure he'll be okay with a little time and plenty of rest."

"How did he put out that much power?" Lucy asked as she stared down at the boy. "Even in his ascended transformation, I doubt he could use that much energy without killing himself."

"He transformed into an even stronger form than before, but it seemed like the amount of energy he was releasing was pretty painful," Cana informed her. "That might be what knocked him out just as much as the two attacks he managed to land."

Wendy took her hands away from the young man, slumping with exhaustion. "I've done all I can for now," she said wearily. "If it looks like he's going to take a turn for the worst, we can try to force-feed him a bean, but I'd rather avoid the possibility of choking him."

"You need to rest now, child," Carla advised. "You're nearly as tired as he is, and we need you healthy in case any more dragons come along."

"Please no…" the child groaned.

"There's something else you guys need to know," Lucy told them. "I nearly forgot with everything that's been going on, but there just might be a way to get rid of all the dragons at once, even the little ones."

"How?" Cana asked.

"The Eclipse Gate was used to bring Rogue back from the future, and the dragons to the present," the girl explained. "Levy had a hypothesis in the future, but we were never able to test it." She paused, then added, "If we destroy this gate, their ties to this time might be severed. It could send them back to where they came from."

"That's brilliant!" Mirajane exclaimed. "How do we destroy something like that, though?" She pointed to the structure, forcing them all to note that even with all of Gorun's crazy attacks going on about it, it stood undamaged.

"But… doesn't that mean that you'll vanish, too?" Wendy asked the time-traveler.

Lucy's face settled into a grimace as she answered, "It'd be worth it to save everyone. For now, let's focus on how we break this thing."

The others looked uncomfortable, but they agreed that the gate needed to be destroyed.

"Maybe if we got Gorun to hit it directly?" Cana suggested.

"With the state he's in, I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon," Lucy said with a wince. Glancing over at the city, she added as an afterthought, "I'm not sure Crocus can take much more of this, though…"

* * *

" _Water Slicer!_ "

" _Zodiac Geyser!_ " The two water-based attacks pummeled a group of infant adamantine dragons, reducing them to broken messes.

Then, to the surprise of Juvia and Lucino, the water coating them froze over, reducing the temperature in the area by several degrees. The two girls turned to see Lyon grinning at them, Gray beside him with a grim look on his face. "Looked like you could use a hand," the wizard from Lamia Scale said as they approached.

"We appreciate it," Juvia nodded, wiping sweat from her brow as she spoke. "It seems as though there are no end to these creatures."

" _Pfft, I'm not even close to done yet,_ " Lucino grinned, though it was clear that the battles were taking their toll on her, too. " _How's it going with you guys?_ "

"We just cleared out a group a few blocks away with Erza and Jellal," Gray answered. He seemed to be confused by Lucino's appearance, not recognizing her, but still feeling like they had met somewhere before.

"Are you injured?" The rain woman asked them.

"A few cuts and bruises, nothing that won't heal," Lyon answered. "And you, Juvia? You're not hurt?"

"I'm fine… Thank you for asking," she acknowledged.

"So who's your new friend?" Gray asked as he gestured to the fused wizard. "I don't think we've met before?"

" _We kinda have, but not really,_ " Lucino grinned at him. " _I'm the fusion born of Lucy and Yukino- call me Lucino._ "

"Oh, so the rings worked on you then?" he asked, pointing at the item she wore on her right hand. "Gorun was worried they wouldn't work on someone not from his world. Guess that answers that problem."

"Not that all this catching up isn't nice…" Lyon said dryly. "But we should get a move on. Those dragons have a sharp sense of smell- if we stand around for too long, we could get ambushed."

" _Right,_ " Lucino agreed. " _Let's go- see if we can help any of the other guilds that need it._ "

* * *

"This can't be possible!" Rogue shouted angrily. He had sensed two of his dragons being defeated, and the others were not holding out so well, either. Plus, with Atlas Flame turned against him, it left only four dragons capable of fighting. "None of you were supposed to be this strong!"

"That's just what you don't get," Natsu growled from atop Atlas Flame's head, his hands resting by his ribcage. "With all of us workin' together, there's no challenge we can't overcome!" Orange light began pooling between his cupped hands, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"You fool!" Rogue snarled. "You haven't seen what I have! I _know_ that the only way for our future to change is through _total destruction_!" He fired off a series of white shadows at Natsu, who leaped up above them while keeping his hands by his side, the orb growing larger and brighter.

"So you'll end everything, even Frosch?!" the Fire Dragon Slayer demanded. "Your best friend?!"

"I told you, Frosch is dead to me- as is the Rogue that wasted time playing with his cat!" the mad slayer shouted up at him, shifting his aim to blast Natsu out of the sky. Atlas Flame intercepted with his body, allowing Natsu to land back on top of his head.

"I don't believe that!" Natsu retorted. "Your friends never die, as long as you remember them!"

"Believe what you want, but nothing will stop the death of humanity in the future," Rogue said somberly. "You want happiness for everyone, but that will never happen!"

"You can change that!" Natsu countered, the fiery orb reaching its peak size. "I know I won't ever stop fighting for today, or for tomorrow!"

" **Now, Natsu!** " Atlas Flame roared as he drew back from Mother Glare, opening his mouth wide.

" _ **Magic Fusion!**_ **"** they bellowed in unison.

" **Hellfire Dragon…** "

" _Roaring KAMEHAMEHA!_ " Atlas Flame's breath attack mixed with Natsu's technique, slamming into Mother Glare and scorching Rogue, whose boots began to melt from the heated scales. He cried out in pain and shock as the fire enveloped him and began to force his dragon down toward the earth at high speed. Mother Glare roared, too, not having experienced such pain in decades due to her nearly invulnerable scales.

* * *

"Maybe if we get Laxus-"

"Uh guys?" Cana said, interrupting Mirajane. "We might wanna hold off on our plans." She pointed upwards, where it looked as though something akin to a falling meteor was headed right for them.

"What is that?!" Wendy cried out. She was sensing a tremendous amount of magic power coming from that fireball, and some of it felt familiar.

"Anyone else think we've asked that question a lot tonight?!" Cana asked.

"No time to figure it out, we need to move!" Mirajane said as she grabbed Gorun up and began a hasty retreat. The others were quick to follow, Carla carrying Wendy since she was too tired to run.

* * *

A final explosion rocked the city that night. Mother Glare, with all her immense weight and unstoppable momentum, caused by Natsu and Atlas Flame's combined attack, sent her crashing into the Eclipse Gate, destroying the hardy mechanism. It had been pure chance that the metallic dragon hit the device, but no one would be complaining that it did.

The dust and embers were still settling when the Fairy Tail wizards dared to come closer to the gate. There they saw Mother Glare, possibly dead, lying near Zirconis. Rogue was further away from them, having been thrown off of Mother Glare's back when she hit the ground. Even as they watched, a golden glow surrounded them, and light particles began to drift off their bodies, causing them to become incorporeal.

"Now _that_ was a breath attack!" Natsu laughed as he and Atlas Flame landed among them. They noticed that the Hellfire Dragon was also beginning to fade away. "Uncle?" Natsu asked as his red scales vanished, worried for Igneel's comrade. "What's goin' on?"

" **We are returning to our own time,** " the dragon answered, and those assembled were surprised to notice that his words were tinged with sadness.

"So Levy was right," Lucy said as she too, began to glow. "Destroying the gate was our best shot."

"Lucy?" Natsu asked as his scales faded away. "What's happening to you?!"

"I told you guys, I don't belong in this time," she said sadly. "I'm being sent back, same as all the dragons and Rogue." Forcing a smile, she added, "Don't be sad, guys. You still have your Lucy, and a bright future ahead of you."

"No!" Happy cried. "You can't go! I don't care what you say, you're still our Lucy! We can't just let you go! How can you ask us not to be sad that you're leaving?! We love you!" He began to wail, and Lucy's eyes misted as she gathered up the little blue cat in her arms for one last hug.

"I don't accept this!" Natsu growled helplessly. "You can't just go, Lucy! It's not fair!"

"We can't… stop her, Natsu." They all turned to see Gorun with his eyes open, lying on the ground where Mirajane had set him down. His voice was weak, but he was still alive. "There's… nothing we can do… but see her off… with our heads held high." He shifted his gaze to look directly at Lucy and smiled slightly. "Thank you for coming back," he said gratefully. "Because of you… our future is saved."

"You had a hand in it, too," she said with another smile through her tears. "I'm glad that this time's Fairy Tail has you in it." She was nearly gone now. The dragons themselves had faded away, except for Atlas Flame. Only Rogue and Lucy remained otherwise.

" **Natsu…** " the giant fire beast said. " **I will never forget you, as long as I live.** "

"And I'll remember you, too," Natsu said as he turned away from Lucy for a moment. "I'll tell Igneel you said 'hi' when I find him. Thank you for everything, Uncle."

" **Hmm…** " Atlas Flame mused. They all thought for a moment that he had smiled. Then he too, was gone.

"Good-bye, everyone," Lucy said, drawing their attention back to her. "I'll miss you… so much. But I'm glad I got to go on one last adventure with you." She reached out to touch Natsu, but a new voice interrupted her.

"Not so fast," a young girl's voice said from the smoking remnants of the Eclipse Gate.

Gorun, in spite of his exhaustion, bolted upright, his eyes wide and face pale. "I know that voice…" he said, his own voice strained with fear. "But… that's impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible," the girl's voice replied as he sensed a strong burst of energy. All around, time froze, rendering everyone still as statues, save for Gorun and Lucy.

"Gorun, what's going on?" the frightened mage asked as she stepped closer to him, having noticed that everyone else was frozen.

"Something out of my worst nightmares," he answered as a petite figure stepped out of the now-still smoke. "I don't know how… but I was followed here. By someone from my past."

"Who?!"

"Only the girl in charge of maintaining the proper flow of time," a pink-skinned figure said as she came into clear view. Dressed in blue and purple robes befitting a god, the Supreme Kai of Time stood before the pair, a stern expression on her face. "Hello, Gorun," she said, her tone matching her face. "You did a pretty good job at covering your tracks, but I finally found you. Now that I have, it's time we had a serious talk."

* * *

 **Saiki: Huh. Just when you would think that everything was going to settle down...**

 **Mataras: sldvkj zesbffjkjvk kjsnd fjjwenv.**

 **Gorun: Uh... What?**

 **Saiki: He appears to be overstimulated from his experience with the new Dragon Ball Super movie. I believe he was attempting to say, 'That's what any good writer does.'**

 **Gorun: You're saying good writers are jerks to their characters.**

 **Saiki: Wait. Let me fit him with a translator, first.**

 **Gorun: You just _have_ one of those on hand?**

 **Saiki: Of course. I come from a comedy where things can often be solved by convenience.**

 **Gorun: And when they can't?**

 **Saiki: That's where being a psychic comes in handy. All right, done.**

 **Mataras: Thank you. Now, as I was saying, no, a good writer is not a jerk to his characters... He seeks to challenge them.**

 **Gorun: _I am not going to fight the Supreme Kai of Time!_**

 **Mataras: Then you're gonna have to be really lucky or really clever if you want to live beyond the next chapter.**

 **Gorun: ...Live?**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- Of Gods and Dragons.**

 **Mataras: Coming on the first week of February!**

 **Gorun: So, Mataras, how was the movie?**

 **Mataras: elkfjbv jnerwnaefvonbkjvbjfd jnvakjzc!**

 **Gorun: ...?**

 **Saiki: You broke my translator... That'll be twenty coffee jellies.**

 **Gorun: Wait, how much are-?**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"You can't be here…" Gorun said as he shook his head in disbelief. "I made sure that Shenron would never tell anyone where I'd gone!"

"Yes, that was rather clever, using your wish like that," said another voice from within the frozen smoke, this one flamboyant in nature. "Not even Porunga could tell the Supreme Kai of Time where you had run off to."

"This had better be worth that pizza with fish toppings you were going about," growled a sleepy voice from next to the second speaker.

Gorun's eyes widened even further as he recognized the two speakers the instant they stepped out of the fiery debris. "L-Lord Beerus?!" he sputtered, also recognizing Whis, the cat-like god's loyal attendant.

He struggled to get to his feet, but swaying dangerously until Lucy helped steady him. Some part in the back of his mind registered the fact that she was no longer fading from existence, but most of his thoughts were consumed by the fact that one of the strongest gods of destruction was standing in front of him, looking rather put out, and with the Supreme Kai of Time, no less. She didn't look very happy either.

 _Oh gods, I'm about to die,_ he thought, sweating profusely.


	16. Of Gods and Dragons

**A/N: Okay, now that my hype has worn down from the Broly movie, I find myself capable of giving a SPOILER FREE review on it. However, I think I'll save that for after the omake. I know all of you are just dying to know what happens to Gorun now that his old supervisors have shown up, so I won't waste your time any further.**

 **OP Song: Odd Future (cover by Nathan Sharp)**

 **P.S. Got to my home page to vote in a poll I just set up: Which fusion you would like to see featured in this story?!**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Chapter 13_

 **Of Gods and Dragons**

"You can't be here…" Gorun said as he shook his head in disbelief. "I made sure that Shenron would never tell anyone where I'd gone!"

"Yes, that was rather clever, using your wish like that," said another voice from within the frozen smoke, this one flamboyant in nature. "Not even Porunga could tell the Supreme Kai of Time where you had run off to."

"This had better be worth that pizza with fish toppings you were going about," growled a sleepy voice from next to the second speaker.

Gorun's eyes widened even further as he recognized the two speakers the instant they stepped out of the fiery debris. "L-Lord Beerus?!" he sputtered, also recognizing Whis, the cat-like god's loyal attendant.

He struggled to get to his feet, but swaying dangerously until Lucy helped steady him. Some part in the back of his mind registered the fact that she was no longer fading from existence, but most of his thoughts were consumed by the fact that one of the strongest gods of destruction was standing in front of him, looking rather put out, and with the Supreme Kai of Time, no less. She didn't look very happy either.

 _Oh gods, I'm about to die,_ he thought, sweating profusely.

"Gorun, who are these people?" Lucy asked him in a low voice.

"Urk…" the boy gulped, aware of the glares he was receiving from the divine beings. "W-Well… Remember how I told you all about how I used to work for the god of time…?"

"Is that him?" Lucy guessed, her gaze fixed on Whis, the only one not scowling at them. He actually smiled calmly at the girl, but then, Whis hardly ever appeared to be anything but calm, so that did nothing to assuage Gorun's concerns.

"No, not him," he said with a negative shake of his head. "The pink girl is the Supreme Kai of Time."

"Oh…" Lucy said slowly. "Then, what's up with the cat? Is he like their pet or something?"

Too late, Gorun tried to silence Lucy, but the damage was already done. "I am nobody's pet!" Beerus shouted, enraged. "I ought to destroy her and this whole miserable planet right now!"

"Not so fast my lord," Whis said sternly. "The Supreme Kai of Time has business with her. Your part in this has yet to come."

"She's a disrespectful brat who needs to learn her place!" the cat-like deity snarled.

Even as Whis moved to intercept Beerus, Gorun placed his hand firmly on Lucy's mouth, stopping her from whatever snide remark she had been about to issue. "Lucy, for the love of all you hold dear, _do not_ antagonize him," he said, trying to be stern, but coming off as more exhausted and desperate. "That's Lord Beerus, the god of destruction from my home universe! He's one of the strongest- and moodiest- deities in all of creation!" Lucy's eyes widened as she realized what she had done. Seeing that the point had been driven home, he took his hand off her mouth and added, "Just let me do the talking, okay? Here's to hoping the Supreme Kai of Time didn't ask him along just to destroy me…" He spoke the last part under his breath as he turned back to face the gods and angel, still leaning on Lucy for support.

"So…" he said heavily.

"So?" the petite goddess repeated with a questioning inflection.

"How did you find me?" he asked. "It shouldn't have been possible."

"Super Dragon Balls," the small deity smirked.

"What?!" Gorun yelped. "I thought that they were destroyed!"

"Only in Trunks' destroyed future," the female Kai replied. "They still survived in the prime timeline."

"Oh… crap," Gorun muttered, realizing that he had made a massive error. "I am so very dead, aren't I?"

"What? No, we're not here to kill you," the temporal being said, exasperated.

"Speak for yourself," Beerus said as he stepped up. "This boy is a coward. And I do so hate cowards…" He raised up a clawed hand, only to have it smacked down by Whis' staff.

"I told you when we took this trip, my lord, that I would only allow the destruction that was required of you," the angel told him sternly. "This is not our universe, and so we must respect the wishes of the Time Kai. Attempt to stray again, and I will report your behavior to Grand Zeno at the next summit." At that particular comment, Beerus stiffened, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"All right, fine!" he snarled after a moment. "But when we get home, I'm destroying that pesky galaxy that gets in the way of our trips to Earth!"

"If that is what it takes to satisfy your irritation, so be it," Whis nodded amicably. Turning to the other present god, he added, "Now, Supreme Kai. I know I am in no position to give orders, but I do suggest that we move things along. As I told Lord Beerus, we really don't belong here."

"All right, all right," the girl huffed. "Just… Can you give us a minute?"

"Certainly," Whis nodded. "I'll go find the other offender while you catch up." Beerus promptly went to sit on some rubble, muttering angrily to himself, while Whis walked away, humming a merry tune.

"Now, Gorun," the ruler of time said sternly. "You know that what you did caused us a lot of problems, right? Many people wanted to bring you back by force, not wanting to take the risk that you might damage the timeline of whatever universe you wound up in. I even considered allowing them to hunt for you, but your mother and father interceded on your behalf."

"They did?" Gorun asked, surprised not only by that piece of news, but also by the rapid pace at which things were moving. "So… You _didn't_ bring Lord Beerus along to kill me?"

"No," the ancient girl said with a roll of her eyes. "He's here for… someone else. I'm here because of you and your friend." She fixed her stern gaze on Lucy, who shrank back a bit from the glare. "You and I will be having a conversation very soon, miss," she told the blond girl. "But first, I have some things I need to tell Gorun."

"Please tell me that Whis isn't the one that's gonna kill me," Gorun said worriedly.

"No one is here to kill you!" the small Kai shouted. "Just listen, and try not to interrupt!"

"Sorry!" he yelped, still aware that he was in a precarious position.

"All right, after I found out which universe you went to, I was able to find you in the scrolls that recorded its history," the goddess explained. "At first, I was going to reset the scrolls entirely from the point that you arrived, which would force you back to the Time Nest. But curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself watching your adventures. I saw how happy you made your guild, and how happy they made you. You were filled with more drive and life than I had ever seen in you before, and… I knew it would be cruel to undo everything you had worked for."

Gorun blinked, not sure that he was hearing things correctly. "So… you're okay with the fact that I left?" he asked tentatively.

"No, I'm not," she said angrily. "At least, not the way that you did. Your parents deserved better than a letter as a good-bye, for Zeno's sake! That was pretty cold, Gorun."

"It's one of the few things I regret," the saiyan admitted as he looked downward. "But I was afraid that if I told them what I was planning, they would have convinced me to stay."

"Yeah, well, it took your mom quite a while to get over it," the kai said sourly. "But that's not the only thing I'm mad about! You stole from the personal vault of a kai!"

"Oh come on, this is Elder Kai we're talking about!" Gorun protested. "The old pervert totally had that coming!"

"Well, you may be right, but that doesn't mean it was up to you to deliver his punishment," the Supreme Kai of Time replied, her gaze softening a little. "Not to mention the artifacts you took are incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands."

"I know that the metamo-rings are dangerous to reveal to this world, but if you've been watching the scrolls, you know that I've taken precautions to prevent them from being stolen," Gorun replied. "They're also useless unless you know at least the basics of the Metamoran dance technique."

"Regardless, it was very foolish of you to take them," his former commander said fiercely. "I can't let these actions go unpunished."

Gorun's shoulders sagged as he realized that the moment he had dreaded was upon him. "Can I…?" he began, then choked up for a moment before managing, "Can I at least say goodbye?"

"No," the little kai said quickly, and very definitely. "You are to be exiled, Son Gorun. There will be no goodbyes, and no one will know where you have gone." As the tears began to fall from his eyes, she added, "You will never see your family or comrades again in your isolation. I strip you of your title as an officer in my Time Patrol, and you are never to set foot in Conton City again, on pain of death."

Gorun's head jerked up, and he stared at the pink-skinned goddess with his jaw hanging slack. "You… I…" He tried to speak, but no words would come out that would make sense. "Time… You're… banishing me? Here?"

The deity nodded, then couldn't help a faint grin from breaking out on her features. "You're welcome," she told him.

"Thank you!" he cried, laughing and sobbing at the same time. Bowing on his knees before her with his head pressed against the ground, he babbled, "Thank you so much! I will never forget your kindness, Supreme Kai of Time!"

"Chronoa," she corrected him. When he looked up at her, she explained, "My real name is Chronoa."

"Wh-Why do I deserve to know your name?" he sniffed as he wiped at his eyes. "Especially since I'm now a disgraced former officer?" He tried to laugh a little at the end, but it was a dismal attempt.

"I think my grandson deserves to know his grandmother's name," she replied impishly.

It took several seconds for that sentence to sink in, and when it did, Gorun could only react loudly in shock. " _Your WHAT?!_ " he screamed.

"Lettis isn't just some random descendant of Trunks' from the far future like we told everyone," Chronoa explained neutrally. "She's mine and Trunks' daughter from the not-so-far future." As she spoke, she rubbed her midriff with a grin.

"Y-You're… _What_?!" Gorun shouted. It was all becoming too much for him to handle. "Uh… Er… Congratulations?"

"So wait, is Gorun a god, then?!" Lucy exclaimed, no longer able to keep silent.

"He has the blood of a kai in him, so that's partly true," Chronoa nodded. "When his mother appeared in our ranks, it wasn't hard for me to figure out who she was. The kai have a very distinct energy that sets us apart from mortals. Didn't you wonder why that god slayer girl's magic affected you so badly?"

"I did…" Gorun said slowly, his mind still whirling like a tornado from the revelations of the last few minutes. "My girlfriend had a theory that it was because I've trained with gods, and mortals that have mastered god energies…"

"Nope," Chronoa chirped. "That magic only affects people born with divine nature. Yours isn't as pure as mine or the other kais, but it's still there."

"But… why tell me this now?" Gorun asked, eyes still wide. "You could have just banished me and not said anything, and there would have been no difference to me."

"Because I have something I wanted to give you," his grandmother said as she reached into a pocket hidden by the sash around her waist. "I think you'll find them preferable to the metamo-rings." When she pulled out her hand, there were two earrings, each one with a small blue ball attached to them. The sight of them sent chills down Gorun's spine as he recognized them for what they were.

"Potara earrings…" he breathed, not moving from where he was. "Supreme- Grandmother… I can't take these!"

"You can and you will, Gorun," she told him, her tone becoming stern once again. "These once belonged to the Supreme Kai before Shin. I've been saving them especially for you, Gorun. Take them." She held out her hand to him, but he still made no move to claim them.

"I can't," he repeated. "I'm a selfish coward, and someone like that doesn't deserve to wear the jewels of the divine."

"You might have been a coward when you came here, Gorun, but I don't see a coward standing before me now," Chronoa replied softly. "You risked your life to defeat that dragon, and to save that little girl from a battle she was clearly unprepared for. Those are the actions of a proud Saiyan warrior, not a craven. And if you're really worried about moral fiber, remember that people like Vegeta and Elder Kai have used them." She added the last part with a grin, which he couldn't help but return for a moment.

Slowly, reverently, he reached out and took the earrings from her hand, cradling them carefully, as if afraid they might break at any moment. "I will treasure these always," he told her.

"Make sure you do," she nodded in approval. Then a thought seemed to strike her, and she exclaimed, "Oh! Before I forget, your mother used these at one point. The fused being was able to sustain Super Saiyan Blue for an hour, despite the immense power level."

"Because she's half-Kai?" Gorun guessed.

"We think so," Chronoa nodded. "Since you have a mixed heritage like her, we figured it would probably be the same for you. Just… still be careful if you do decide to use them. There's still a chance that you would be unable to separate from whoever you fused with."

"Good to know…" Gorun muttered, his mind beginning to race as he considered the possibilities of a permanent potara fusion.

"Now, on to the other pieces of business that brought me here," Chronoa said, suddenly all business again. She fixed her gaze on Lucy, and though it was not as harsh as before, the corners of her mouth bent downward along with her brow. "As Gorun might have told you, it's my job to make sure that time flows as nature intended it. I've made a total of three exceptions in the course of correcting history, and this is one of them. However, each time I do, I still have to punish whoever was responsible."

"Hold on!" Gorun protested. "She didn't-"

"Gorun, be quiet," his grandmother said sternly. "This isn't up to you, and since you're no longer Time Patrol, you don't even have a right to be here. I'm allowing it only because we are blood." The boy shut his mouth, but he still looked unhappy as he realized that she was going to treat his expulsion very seriously.

"Now, Lucy Heartfelia, is it?" the kai asked the blond girl.

"Y-Yes, ma'am," Lucy nodded, bowing slightly before the deity. "I know that humans aren't supposed to travel back in time, but-"

"I know you weren't aware of the law at the time," Chronoa interrupted her. "And I know that your intentions were noble. Which is why I won't levy a harsh punishment like I will be doing against another particular individual. Yours will be a light sentence."

"So then, what's the verdict?" Gorun asked, still wary of the possible consequences that could befall his guild mate.

"Like Trunks before her, she will spend the rest of her days in service to the Time Patrol," the goddess replied. "She will learn what it means to defend history and correct the wrongs of others. However, this means that she will never return to her own time, and she will not come back here, either."

"So exile, then," Gorun said heavily.

"B-But…" Lucy stammered. "My friend Levy… She'll be all alone in the time I left behind. I can't just abandon her!"

"You don't have a choice," Chronoa said sternly. Then her gaze softened, and she added, "But I am not without mercy, Lucy. If you can guarantee that she is a hard worker, and a strong fighter, then I will see to it that she joins you in Time Nest."

"She's…" Lucy hesitated, dashing the tears that had begun to build in her eyes before saying, "She isn't the strongest wizard around, but she's really smart, and good at bookwork. Plus, she and I both have injuries that… don't exactly let us be the wizards we used to be." As she spoke, she glanced at her right shoulder, where her arm used to be.

"I can fix that," Chronoa said, closing her eyes in concentration. A green glow surrounded Lucy, forcing Gorun to shield his eyes against the light. When it faded, the girl's robes shifted on her right side, and she held up a trembling right hand, her Fairy Tail mark stamped on the back of it.

"Th-Thank you…" she managed to say past the lump in her throat.

"Don't thank me," Chronoa said with a shake of her head. "Not with words, anyway. Work hard in the Time Patrol, and that'll be all the thanks I need."

"She also needs her celestial keys to use her magic," Gorun volunteered hesitantly, hoping that he wasn't asking too much of the goddess.

"I'll see them returned to her, don't worry," she nodded. "Now, where did Whis get to…?" She stepped a few paces away, searching for the tall angel. When she asked Beerus, he just glared at her and grumbled something unintelligible.

While she was distracted, Gorun turned to Lucy and said, "We probably don't have a lot of time, but before you go, is there anything that you need me to tell the others?"

Lucy nodded gratefully. "Tell them all that I love them," she said with a sad smile. "Tell me to finish that book I never got done. Make sure that Levy is the first one to read it, and…" She hesitated, then added, "And tell Natsu…" Her voice dropped so low that even he had a hard time hearing the words.

Once she had finished saying what she needed to, he said, "I'll make sure he gets the message. On our guild's name." He gave her the best smile he could manage, which she managed to return after a moment.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to know you better," she told him ruefully. "You seem like a good guy, Gorun. And an even better wizard."

"Thanks," he grinned. "And thank you for coming back to save us. I know I said it before, but… Thank you for saving our home."

"This Time Nest place, will I…?" she hesitated again, afraid to get her hopes up. "Can I see this timeline?"

Gorun nodded once, slowly. "Only the most elite Time Patrollers are allowed to see the scrolls contained in the Book of Beginning to End, but it is possible," he told her. "Serve the Supreme Kai of Time well, and she will let you watch over us, I'm sure."

"Then I'd really better work hard," Lucy laughed a little sadly. "It won't be the same, but at least… you'll all know that I'll be watching you, always."

"I'll be sure to tell the others so," he promised her.

"Hey, you two!" Beerus called over roughly as he stood from where he was sitting. "Get over here. The little Kai wants you to see this."

"We'd better do as he says," Gorun told her, already moving to join the god of destruction. "It's not wise to keep his kind waiting."

"Coming!" the girl called to the cat-god.

When they rounded the smoldering remains of the Eclipse Gate, they were surprised to see Whis holding a struggling Rogue with an iron grip in front of Chronoa. Beerus moved to stand near to them, effectively forming a triangle around the beaten wizard. "So, this is the one?" he drawled.

"Yes," the kai nodded, her eyes more stern-looking than ever.

"Who are you people?!" Rogue shouted hoarsely. "You dare lay your hands on the king of dragons?!"

"Shut up, mortal," Beerus snapped. Something in his gaze and voice told even this maddened, pride-filled Rogue that it would be wiser to remain silent.

"Rogue Cheney, you travelled to the past with the sole intent of destroying the world as the current era knows it," the Supreme Kai of Time stated flatly. "And furthermore, you disrupted the time period four hundred years prior by using the Eclipse Gate to summon an army of dragons. You would have been responsible for the deaths of billions, and you knew so. As the ruler of time, it falls on me to decide your fate for these crimes."

"I did nothing more than I needed to ensure my survival!" Rogue spat. "You can all go to hell, and I'll send you there myse-!" He was cut off as Whis released his hold on him and whacked him on the back of the head with his staff.

"Enough out of you," he said crossly. "My lord told you to remain silent, and yet you continue to blaspheme two of the highest existing deities in the multiverse."

"Your punishment will not be a light one," Chronoa told the man as he struggled to regain some semblance of motor skills. "For your heinous misdeeds, like others before you, I sentence you to death."

"Y-You… think you can just… kill me?" Rogue snarled, his voice little more than a harsh whisper. "I will-"

"I've heard enough from this pathetic waste of good air," Beerus said as he snatched up the dragon slayer. "Time for you to say good-bye, mortal."

 _Oh…_ Gorun thought as Beerus raised a hand in front of Rogue's face, his hand flat, palm nearly brushing the traitor's face. _That's why Lord Beerus is here._

"What's he doing?" Lucy asked in a very small voice, a sense of dread pervading her soul.

Beerus supplied the answer before Gorun could. " _Hakai,_ " he growled. Rogue's body shone with a white-purple glow for less than second, then he let out a blood-curdling scream that caused Gorun to wince, and Lucy to recoil in horror. As they watched, his body disintegrated, fading away into nothingness. When the energy dissipated and Beerus lowered his hand, not a single trace remained of the White-Shadow Dragon Slayer.

"Wh-Why did you make us watch that?" Lucy asked with a trembling voice.

"To help you understand how lightly you got off," Chronoa said as she turned to them. "And to serve as a warning to you, Lucy."

"Why me?!"

"You will be tempted to go back in time to save your own world," the kai said quietly. "Don't do it. This is what awaits people that break the law of time travel with malicious intent, or having knowledge of the law itself."

Gorun winced again as Lucy sagged heavily. "I understand," the girl said in low tone. "I won't break your laws, Supreme Kai."

"As long as you work hard and follow the rules, you have nothing to be afraid of," Chronoa said with an encouraging smile. Then, turning to Beerus, she said, "If you don't mind, Lord Beerus…?" She gestured to the ruins of the Eclipse Gate.

"Why should I?" he snorted. "This isn't my realm, as you two have so often pointed out."

"She _is_ allowed to authorize the destruction of illegal time travel materials, my lord," Whis pointed. "If she says it's okay, why not destroy one more thing?"

"Fine," the god grumbled. "But I want to stop by Earth before we go home. I need that pizza you were talking about, and some of that root beer float Bulma made last time."

"I can certainly arrange that, my lord," Whis said with a contended smile.

Beerus grunted and moved to stand in front of the gate's remains, his eyes scanning the pieces that had flown everywhere for a moment before he raised his hand to face the ruined device. " _Hakai,_ " he intoned. Immediately, a dark purple energy coated the remains of Eclipse, and erased them from existence.

"All right, now that's done, we really should be on our way," Whis announced.

"Gladly," Beerus muttered as he looked at Gorun with narrowed eyes. "I may be seeing you again, Saiyan. Your potential reminds me of Goku and Vegeta…"

Gorun gulped, then bowed to him, saying, "If you do, my lord, I will be sure to have my guild host a feast in your honor." Inwardly, he was praying to Zeno that Beerus decided to never return, or forgot about this event entirely. If he were to meet Natsu, there was no way that Earthland would survive.

Straightening up, he turned to Lucy. "Goodbye," he said as he gave her an awkward hug, which she returned swiftly. "When you get to Conton City, look up Goken and Lettis. Tell them I said hi, and… I miss them."

"Will do," she promised him.

"Time to go," Chronoa said firmly. Lucy nodded and walked over to her new employer.

"Wait!" Gorun cried as he remembered something important.

"No, Gorun, you've said your goodbyes, and-"

"Grandmother, this is something important for our guild!" he begged. Just… Please. One more minute?"

"One minute," she nodded.

"Lucy, if you're leaving Fairy Tail, you gotta promise to follow these three rules," he began, causing the girl to gasp, her eyes widening. "Rule number one: never, ever share sensitive information about the guild with anyone as long as you live. Number two, never contact a client that you have worked with in the guild for your own personal gain." His own vision was becoming foggy now, and he wiped at his eyes, realizing that he was crying. "And number three…" he began, then drew in a deep breath to steady himself.

"You have to promise to live every day of your life to the fullest," Lucy picked up for him, tears running freely down her own face now. "That means… you have to treat every day… like it was going to be your last day in this world."

"Don't forget the friends you love," Gorun nodded as he forced one last smile for the girl that had done so much for Fairy Tail.

" _You must treasure them for as long as you live,_ " they finished in unison. They raised their arms, the ones bearing their guild marks above their heads, pointing to the sky with their thumb and pointer fingers.

There was a blinding light made of many colors, and Gorun could see them no more.

* * *

Miles away, in another part of the city, Urtear gave a start of surprise as she sensed a massive surge of power, one that eclipsed Gorun's by several magnitudes, but only for the barest of an instant. What disturbed her the most about it was the fact that it felt similar to her own magic, though the differences in skill and power were hopelessly different. "What could that have been…?" she murmured to herself.

"Urtear, are you all right?" Jellal asked as he walked up to her and Meredy, bruised and weary, but otherwise healthy.

"Yes," she nodded, shaking off the disturbing feeling as much as she could. "I think my wrist is broken, but it's nothing that won't heal over time." She held up the damaged limb, where an infant dragon's claws had taken her by surprise.

"Meredy?" Jellal asked, concerned for their youngest member.

"All good here!" she grinned at him. "You shoulda seen Urtear in action, she must've killed ten of them on her own!"

"Speaking of which…" Jellal muttered as he looked around. "They all disappeared, as did the big ones. Any guesses?"

"I don't have the energy for a guess right now," Meredy laughed. "I say we take a nap and then get in contact with Gorun. He can let us in on what happened."

"Sounds good to me," Urtear agreed. "I need a nap."

"All right," Jellal grinned at them. "I'd say we've all earned a bit of rest after tonight. We'll figure out our next move in the morning."

"Yes! Sleep!" Meredy cheered, bringing another round of smiles to her friends.

* * *

Gorun watched as the divine beings and Lucy soared up and away into the night sky in the blink of an eye, even as the time-freezing effect covering the city vanished along with its caster. Then even the light marking their travels vanished, and he knew that he would never see his comrade again. He sighed heavily, swaying with exhaustion, both physical and emotional. He hadn't expected for their goodbye to be so heart-wrenching since he didn't know Lucy all that well. _I should get to know her better,_ he decided as he wiped his face once more, sniffing as he did so. _I feel like her future self would appreciate that_.

Glancing down at the potara in his left hand, he realized that he didn't really have a safe place to put them right then, and he absolutely couldn't risk losing them. Sighing to himself, he came to the conclusion that there was really only one option for the time being. Wincing as he did so, he put the earrings through his earlobes. This way, he wouldn't lose them, unless someone ripped them out of his ears.

"Gorun!" he heard Wendy call out. "Gorun, where are you?!"

"Over here!" he called as he slumped to the ground, completely drained. "Why couldn't my kai blood given me super healing?' he complained as heard footsteps approach.

"What just happened?!" Cana demanded as they came to stand around him. "One second you were with us, saying goodbye to Lucy, and the next-! Wait… Where is Lucy?"

"And… where is the Eclipse Gate?" Carla wondered aloud.

Gorun sighed, and muttered, "Have I got a story for you guys…"

* * *

It was nearly the morning by the time Gorun appeared in front of Cobra with his instant transmission. "I was starting to wonder if you even remembered our deal," the Poison Dragon Slayer grinned crookedly.

"Oh, I remember all right," Gorun said with a similar smile that caused Cobra's to falter. "In case you forgot, the deal was that if you killed a dragon, you'd get what you wanted. You didn't hold up your end of the bargain."

"They're all gone, aren't they?!" Cobra spat angrily. "That's gotta count for something!"

"It does, but the fact remains…" Gorun said flatly, "you didn't fulfill your duty. However… I heard about how you managed to get the other wizards out of the line of fire. So, if you're not too busy chafing over the fact that you couldn't kill a dragon-"

"Oei," Cobra growled.

"I'll take you to see your friend," the boy said heavily. "I don't want to, but I do think you've earned it. You're only getting ten minutes, though."

"Fifteen," Cobra countered.

"Ten," Gorun repeated. "She might be your oldest friend or whatever, but just a heads-up, she won't remember you. The curse that was put on her was undone seven years ago, and she's been living as a human ever since."

Cobra's jaw dropped. "You means, she's…"

"Her name is Kinana now, and she has a boyfriend that I'm reasonably sure that she's happy with, so don't try anything funny," Gorun smirked, perhaps enjoying the gutted look on the convict's face just a little too much.

"Wait…" Cobra asked suspiciously. "No… Not you?!"

"Yeah, me," Gorun replied, his grin growing wider. "Still wanna go see her?"

"…Yeah," Cobra said resignedly.

"Then grab on," the boy said as he reached out his hand.

* * *

They appeared in the midst of a gathering made up of the majority of the wizards that had stayed to fight the dragons. Unfortunately, many of them recognized Cobra, and immediately opened fire on him.

"Whoa!" Gorun yelped as he moved in front of the man, shouting, " _Barrier!_ " He managed to hold their fire long enough for Makarov to shout at everyone to stand down.

"Why's that guy here?!" Natsu demanded as he shoved his way up the front. "Let me at him so I can give a right beating!"

"Not today, Natsu," Gorun told him from inside the energy field. "I'm here to keep a promise, and that doesn't involve you fighting him."

"Hey there, Salamander," Cobra grinned cockily at the angry fire wizard. "How're the train rides treating you?"

"Rrgh…" Natsu growled. "At least I've still got two eyes!" he retorted.

"Gorun!" a familiar voice called out as a few people were moved out of the way to make room for the speaker. "Are you okay?!"

"Anyone tries to hit Cobra, and they deal with me," the battered Saiyan said warningly. "And just so we're clear, I'm the guy that broke the mountain range over there." He indicated the mountains at the edge of the city, several of which were now missing their peaks. "Got it?!"

He saw the majority of the wizards nodding their agreement, albeit begrudgingly. _Good enough¸_ he decided. He lowered the energy field, shooting a final warning glare at Natsu.

Then he was distracted by the fact that his girlfriend all but body-slammed him with a bear hug. "Oof!" he grunted. Normally he would have easily been able to withstand that amount of force, but right now, he was bone-weary. He did, however, feel much better after Kinana kissed him rather vigorously, pulling away only because they were both short on breath. Most of the wizards present decided to move away, to give them a bit of privacy.

"Guess you made it through okay," he said with a relieved grin once he caught his breath.

"I wish I could say the same about you!" she said as she looked him up and down. There were rips all over his gi, and he was missing his right sleeve entirely. "Why haven't you taken a senzu bean?"

"My supply is about half gone," he replied. "And the battle is over. I'd rather save them for emergencies. I can take my time to heal naturally."

"Not that this isn't great to watch…" Cobra drawled, clearly irritated. "But am I gonna get my ten minutes or not?"

"What's this?" Kinana asked, staring at Cobra with a slight frown. "Gorun, isn't this guy…?"

"Cobra of the former dark guild Oracion Seis?" Gorun answered. "Yup. He helped us fight the dragons off, and he asked for one thing in return."

"Which was…?" she asked nervously.

"Relax," Cobra said in a gentler voice than the Fairy Tail wizards expected. "I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes, Cube- Er, Kinana, was it?"

"Yeah…" she said slowly, peering at him more closely. "You… seem familiar somehow."

"Remember how master found you as a snake in his garden?" Gorun interjected before Cobra could answer her. "Apparently your name was Cubellios… and you were basically Cobra's only real friend."

Kinana's eyes widened as she took this in, letting out a small gasp as she stepped back. "You mean, I…"

"Look, it's not like you were on the bad side, or whatever you wanna call it," Cobra hurried to tell her. "Our history goes back further than that. I'll keep it brief, but we used to be slaves in the Tower of Heaven-"

"Like Erza?" Kinana interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah, Titania was there too," Cobra said dismissively. "Anyway, there was this one time we tried to escape after Jellal took over. They turned you into the snake, and planted the lachryma that's in my body now… Made me stay awake through the whole thing as part of the punishment. They planned to harvest it out of my body once we were all older, and it had grown larger as a result, but me and a few others managed to break out after I managed to get some control over the magic power it gave me." He paused before adding, "You saved my life that day… A wizard went to take me down, but you managed to bite him, make him too sick to come after us."

Kinana blanched, and looked as though she might vomit. Gorun stepped forward protectively, saying, "I don't think she needed to hear that last part."

"I'm not tryin' to upset her," Cobra said as he raised his hands in surrender. "What I really wanted was to thank her for saving me." He looked past Gorun to look at Kinana again and say, "Ever since they turned you into a snake, all I've ever wanted was to hear your voice again… the voice of my one true friend. Getting to see you again, knowing that you're okay in this world… I'm satisfied."

He turned to Gorun and asked, "So, are my ten minutes up yet?"

"That depends on her," he said as he looked back at his girlfriend, who had managed to recompose herself. "Are you okay talking to him for a few minutes while I talk to Natsu? I won't go far."

"Y-Yeah…" she said, releasing a shaky breath. "I'll be okay."

"All right," Gorun said, still a little reluctant to leave. "Just blast him with a Kikoho if he tries anything, and I'll come running."

"Of course," she smiled warmly at him. "But you owe me dinner for making me worry about you, got it?"

"Deal," he chuckled before kissing her on the cheek. "I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, he walked over to where Natsu was still glaring daggers at Cobra.

"That guy…" Cobra muttered once he was busy talking to Natsu. "Is he good to you?"

"Yeah," Kinana answered without hesitation. "He's the best part of my life right now. He makes me really happy."

"I'm… glad," Cobra said haltingly. "At least… I'm glad that you're happy. Can't say I like the guy, but I am glad that he makes you happy."

"I wasn't looking for your approval," she told him, though not unkindly.

"Fair enough," the man grinned crookedly. "Who's gonna want the opinion of a convicted criminal like me?"

"Well, Gorun did say that you helped fight off the dragons, so I guess you're not all bad," she grinned back at him. "Keep doing stuff like that, and maybe people will care about what you have to say."

"Nah, I don't care much for other people," he shrugged. "Though I gotta say, hearing all these voices is a welcome change to that prison cell."

"You gonna go back to prison, then?" she asked. "Not even put up a fight?"

"Nah," he muttered. "Part of the deal was that once the dragon crisis was over, I'd go back quietly. I might be a murderer, but I keep my word. Plus, your boyfriend showed a little leniency to me. I don't wanna be in his debt, so there's that."

"So you do have some sense of honor," she said, a trifle surprised.

"If you wanna call it that," the man shrugged. "I see it as my own set of rules. Never backstab your teammates, and don't ever be in anyone's debt. The words I live by."

"Not a bad philosophy," Kinana admitted. "But then it all kind of falls apart on you when you consider all the shady stuff you do because those are your only rules."

Cobra shrugged again. "I ain't looking for your approval either, ya know," he said nonchalantly.

"I think you are," Kinana said, suppressing another smile. Cobra responded by shooting her a baleful look with his remaining eye.

He looked like he was going to say more, but that's when Gorun walked up again. "Time's up," he told the dragon slayer. "I'll let you say goodbye."

"How generous of you," Cobra said sarcastically.

"Take it or leave it."

"Goodbye, Cobra," Kinana said before they could start arguing. "I hope someday you can turn over a new leaf. If you did… I'd be glad to hear your voice again, too."

Cobra blinked at her in surprise a few times, then said, "Not everyone can turn over a new leaf. Some of us are just too far down in the dark."

"The darker the night, the brighter the light shines," Kinana replied with a gentle smile. "You just have to look for it. Take care, Cobra."

"Erik," he replied quietly.

"Hmm?"

"My name isn't Cobra," he explained. "It's Erik."

"Well then, Erik, it's been interesting talking to you," she replied. "Now get going. I hear those Magic Council guys don't like to be kept waiting."

"Yeah, especially that one with the stick up his-"

* * *

"-ass. Wait…" Cobra paused, realizing that he was no longer in the plaza, facing Kinana. Now he was in front of an armed platoon of soldiers, with Lahar and Doranbolt in the front of the group.

"Care to repeat yourself?" Doranbolt replied with a knowing grin.

"Stay outta my head," Cobra warned him. "I know you can mess with people's memories, and I think there's a few things you're gonna wanna leave alone."

"Such as…?" Lahar prompted.

"I dunno, still sorting it out," Cobra said with a dark smile. "I heard a lot more voices than I'm used to, so it was all a little jumbled together. Though… I did hear that the gates of the Underworld are gonna open real soon." The meaning of that phrase was not lost on Gorun, and he noticed the quick look of worried surprise that passed between the two men of the Magic Council.

 _Gates of the Underworld, huh?_ He thought. _Tartaros. Seems like Jellal and I need to step our game if we wanna find them before bad stuff starts happening._

Out loud, he said, "He's all yours. Need anything else from me?"

"I do," Doranbolt said with a jerk of his head. "Time for a private chat, kid."

"Again with this?" Gorun sighed heavily. "If I'm gone for too long, my girlfriend is gonna come looking for me. And I seriously doubt even you guys could stop her."

"It won't take five minutes, stop complaining," Doranbolt said sternly. "Come on."

"Fine…" the boy muttered as he walked after the council spy. Once they were alone, he asked, "What do you need?"

"I need you to keep your magic type under wraps," Doranbolt said in a low voice. "If anyone asks, you practice takeover magic, and light magic because you learned everything from Makarov, got it?"

"Why…?" Gorun asked slowly.

"Because I altered everyone's memory in the city other than your guild to think that," the other man said grimly. "I'm also going to change their memories so that the destruction caused by the dragons only occurred during the Grand Magic Games. Also, no one but your guild and the royal family will know about the Eclipse Project. Good job on getting rid of that, by the way. I heard the destruction was so total that they have no hope of even reconstructing the schematics that were with it."

"No problem," Gorun shrugged, choosing not to speak about the fact that it was actually a god of destruction that was responsible for its final obliteration. "And I'll keep my mouth shut about my etherion magic. But what about your boss? Isn't he going to report everything to the Magic Council?"

"Lahar?" Doranbolt snorted. "I wiped his mind, too. He's too high up to get his hands dirty like me. He won't even remember letting Cobra out of jail, or meeting with Jellal."

"Thank you," Gorun nodded appreciatively. "That does save us a few headaches."

"Yeah, but it ain't free," Doranbolt grinned. "You and Jellal both owe me big time- and I know you two keep in regular contact. So when I ask you for a favor, you better come running, got it?"

"Fair enough," Gorun nodded. "One more thing. What are we going to do about the royal family? They broke a lot of laws creating that gate, at least as I understood it."

"Already taken care of," Doranbolt assured him. "Basically told them that if they ever tried something like that again, they could kiss the throne goodbye. I'd report to the Magic Council, and they would never see the light of day again."

"Good to hear," Gorun said with relief, glad that there was a much less greater chance of them trying to create another time-travel device. "Thank you for everything you've done, Doranbolt. When you call in that favor, I'll gladly help you."

"Good," the other man grinned as they shook hands. "Now get going. If we're gone too long, people might start talking."

"Be glad my girlfriend didn't hear that," Gorun snorted before he placed his fingers on his head and vanished.

* * *

"So… you really are part god," Kinana said with no small amount of wonder in her eyes as she looked at Gorun. "That's why Sherria's magic hurt you so much?"

The pair of them were on a balcony at the palace, both of them dressed in the same clothes they had worn to the Balsamico Magic Ball months ago. In fact, they were about to attend a similar event, but this one would be far more extravagant. It was a party being thrown by the king himself to thank all of the wizards that had fought against the dragons on behalf of the kingdom.

"Yep," he nodded in answer to Kinana's question. He had just finished giving her the rundown of what had occurred between the seconds when the dragons disappeared, and the Eclipse vanishing. He had told the girls that had backed him and Wendy up during the fight an abridged version of the tale, and he knew that Mirajane had reported it to Makarov. He assumed that the others would tell the rest of the guild in their own time, so he didn't bother explaining himself like he had before.

"So are you… I dunno, immortal?" she wondered out loud. "Like, will you ever stop aging at some point?"

"I mean…" He stopped, considering the matter for the first time, and pondering the implications behind it. "I don't think so," he finally said at length. "Saiyans age slower than humans do, and the same is true for us hybrids. But I've never even heard of a Kai hybrid before my grandmother told me about my mom and I, so this is new waters, even for me."

"I see…" Kinana said sadly, looking away from him. "I guess that means that we won't be able to grow old together. Or rather, I'll grow old, while you stay young, right?" She wouldn't meet his gaze, and he felt a sudden surge of sadness as he realized that she was right. He was part kai, a race that lived for billions of years without aging.

"So… what does that mean for us?" he asked in a choked voice, a massive lump forming in his throat.

Kinana took a deep, shuddering breath before she turned around to meet his gaze, a sad smile on her lips. "For now… it means we live life one day at a time," she told him, and an immense tide of relief washed over him. "I told you that I'd stand by your side no matter what, and I intend to honor that. It's just… going to take some time to get used to the idea, I guess."

"Maybe there's some magic out there that can shorten my years to match you-"

"No!" Kinana suddenly exclaimed, grabbing him by the lapels of his suit. "No, I don't _ever_ want to hear you say that again, Gorun! I never want to hear that you shortened your life because of me, do you understand?! I would never forgive myself- or you- if I became the reason that you gave up the years that you had to live!" The intensity and volume that she mustered was enough to stun him into silence. He had never seen her so worked up, not even when she fought Bacchus in the games.

"I…" he started to say, noticing the tears in her eyes. "I… I just don't want to live without you, Kinana. I told you I loved you, and I meant it. I can't imagine my life without you."

"And I can't stand the thought of this world without you," she sniffed. "You've done so much for it in the time that you've been here, and I would be the most selfish person in the world to take you away from it."

Gorun wrapped her up in his arms, not caring that her tears were soaking into his blazer. "I'll figure something out," he murmured, trying to calm her down. "I will. I don't care if I have to invent an elixir of longevity, but I will find a way for us each to live as long as the other does."

"I'd like that," Kinana managed to laugh through a sob. "Better get to it when we go home."

"Okay," he said as they pulled apart. Smiling at her, he asked, "Do you want to skip out on tonight and go back to our hotels?"

"No," she said as shook her head. "Give me a little bit of time and I'll join you. I might meet up with the other girls first, though. After all we've been through, we deserve a night of fun. And I don't exactly want Mirajane's imagination clocking into overdrive when we don't show up." This brought a smile out of them both as they relaxed a little bit.

"Sure," he said as he kissed her forehead. "Take all the time you need. I'll see you in a little while." She nodded and favored him with a smile, while he stepped out and shut the door that led outside behind him.

"All right," he muttered to himself. "Showtime."

* * *

The party was loud, but with a lot less fighting and explosions than Gorun was used to. Also, the food and décor were much more extravagant than anything he'd ever seen before, both in Magnolia and out. Everyone was dressed in the best attire they could afford, and many of the dresses and suits being shown were more colorful than the saiyan had expected. Then again, his green-and-blue suit wasn't exactly a muted color scheme, so he couldn't judge.

He had fun, talking to members of guilds that he had previously exchanged blows with, even going so far as to make peace with Sting and Rogue, somewhat to his own surprise. However, where once stood arrogant teenagers, he now saw young men who were ready to see things change for the better in their guild. He found that they were even easy to get along with, Sting always ready with a joke, and Rogue willing to discuss his life with his foster dragon father in the days before he had succumbed to a fatal illness.

He did have a serious moment with the shadow mage before he moved on. "Watch yourself," he warned the other young man. "Natsu told me that in the future, Frosch was killed, and it began that Rogue's downfall. Be on your guard, and protect him. Hopefully that will change your future."

"The events of the past few days have already done that," the red-eyed slayer said with a nod of acknowledgement. "But I will be careful. I will do everything in my power to make sure that I never become that man."

"And I'll be right there with him," Sting grinned. "If he ever gets out of line, I'll just give him a good ol'-fashioned beat down until he comes to his senses." The three of them laughed a bit at that, then Gorun moved on from the conversation, bidding them both good luck in their endeavor to reinvent Sabertooth.

* * *

He found himself talking to Jura next, glad to see the big Wizard Saint had been able to come. "I wasn't sure you'd stick around for the party," he laughed as he clasped hands with the man. "I'm glad to see you."

"And you as well, young Gorun," the man smiled back heartily. "I must say, your magic power in the fight against the dragons was incredible. I now see that your power far surpasses my own, and find myself wondering why you didn't simply defeat me with your second transformation on the day of our battle?"

"I didn't mean to insult you," Gorun said quickly, but Jura waved the apology aside with another smile. Seeing this, Gorun continued, "It's just… Well, I have a hard time keeping myself in line whenever I use those takeover spells, and it gets harder with every level that I ascend. I didn't want to risk getting so carried away that I might hurt you, or the people watching us."

"Ah," Jura nodded in understanding. "That's quite noble of you, young man. As a matter of fact…" He grinned conspiratorially, and Gorun wondered what he was going to get at. He didn't have to wait long to find out, though. "One of the ten Wizard Saints is coming under close scrutiny very soon, and I doubt he'll be allowed to hold on to his title for much longer. We'll need a replacement, and I'd be happy to volunteer your name as a candidate."

Gorun was shocked, and humbled. The position of a Wizard Saint was a highly coveted one that came with a great deal of political power and general respect. Becoming one would mean prestige, honor, and so much more.

However, he had seen the kind of stress it put on his guild master, the things he had to put up with. With great power would come great responsibility, and he didn't know if he was ready to bear that burden, especially with trying to sort out his newfound heritage, and what that could mean for him, and his loved ones.

"I'm honored that you think so highly of me," he began. Looking up to meet the big wizard's eyes, he continued, "But… I'm just not sure I'd be right for the job. I have so much happening in my own life, and…" He paused, unsure of what it was that he could say to sum up how he was feeling.

Jura, however, seemed to understand his confliction. "It's all right," he said sympathetically, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder encouragingly. "Let's talk about it again once this business with the other fellow is sorted out. That should be in a few months from now, so it will give you some time to think about what you want. Until then, I won't bring up your name. Sound fair?"

"Yes, thank you," Gorun said with relief.

"You are most welcome," Jura said with a smile. "I'll bring the subject up with your guild master, but other than that, my lips are sealed." Despite their seven-year absence, Makarov had retained his place among the Wizard Saints, so it would make sense for him to know about any potential candidates.

Gorun nodded his agreement, then excused himself when he noticed the Fairy Tail girls coming into the dining hall. He walked briskly over with a warm smile on his face as he greeted Kinana again, followed by Yukino. The celestial mage was wearing a pale green dress, and she had pearls woven into her hair. She and Lucy had undone their fusion shortly after the battle, and had returned the rings to him promptly.

Or rather, they had tried to. "Keep 'em," he had told them with a grin. "I saw how well you two worked together, and I'd like to entrust them to people that I know won't abuse their power. Besides, you could say I got an upgrade, so I don't even need them anymore." As he spoke, he had unconsciously touched one of the earrings he now wore.

"A-Are you sure?" Yukino had asked him. "You would trust us with such powerful artifacts?"

"I invited you to be on my team, didn't I?" he had smiled at her. "I can sense that you have a kind heart, Yukino. I'm glad to give you one of the rings." Turning to Lucy, he had added, "And your future self risked a lot to help us. I can't thank her anymore, but it would be nice if I could do this for you in her stead."

"Thanks, Gorun," she had smiled in return. "I'll keep it handy, and I'll make sure you don't regret it."

"You're welcome," he had replied before moving on to attend to other matters.

Now, they all stood together in the great hall of the palace, laughing, eating and drinking. As he stood talking with the girls that would be helping to form his team, he turned to his girlfriend and asked, "So what do we call ourselves?"

"I was thinking something along the lines of the Golden Fighters, on account of your Super Saiyan hairdo," she giggled.

"I think that's not a bad pick," Yukino agreed, but Gorun immediately shook his head 'no'.

"Nuh-uh," he said quickly. "The last person to use that name was my ancestor, Gohan, and he absolutely bastardized the definition of super heroes. Sorry, but that name just brings up really awkward memories."

"Fine then, what do you think we should be called?" Kinana huffed, a little bit annoyed.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be mean," he winced. "Umm… How about Golden Fairies?"

"Maybe if it was only girls…" Kinana said, stifling a laugh. "Sorry, Gorun, but that name is just way too effeminate."

"Eh… good point," he conceded.

"I dunno, maybe if he let his hair down, he could pass for a girl," Yukino grinned, followed by a giggle that Kinana echoed, both of them nearly spilling their drinks as they doubled over laughing.

"Hilarious," he tried to deadpan, but couldn't stop himself from smiling at them. "In all seriousness, though, what do we do for a team name?"

"Team Gorun?" Kinana suggested.

"Too similar to Team Natsu."

"Team Gold Star?"

"I like the gold part because of Super Saiyan and Yukino's keys, but still not feeling it," Gorun sighed. They were so close, he could feel it, but-

"How about Team Golden Tail?" Yukino suggested, catching the couple by surprise. "You know, kind of like Fairy Tail, but with our team's dominant colors?"

Gorun and Kinana exchanged a glance before nodding at the white-silver-haired girl. "I like it," the saiyan boy grinned. "Nice homage to our guild, but with a spin that suits us. Nice job, Yukino."

"You're already pulling your own weight," Kinana joked. "Now I'm extra-glad that you joined us."

Yukino flushed at their teasing and compliments, but she had honestly never felt more at home in her entire life. "Th-Thank you," she said softly. "I'm so glad to be a part of all this."

"And we're glad to have you," Gorun said kindly. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I think Kinana and I will hit the dance floor for a bit."

"All right," the celestial mage nodded. "Any suggestions for a dance partner?"

"Gray," Gorun and Kinana said simultaneously, causing them both to laugh as they headed onto the dance floor. "He'll be easier to dance with than most of the guys in the guild- just make sure he keeps his clothes on!" Gorun called before they were immersed in the dancing circle.

"Huh?" the poor girl asked, feeling like there was something she was missing. Still, Gorun and his girlfriend had yet to lead her astray, so she asked Lucy to help her find the ice wizard, to which the other celestial mage readily agreed.

* * *

As it turned out, Gray was happy to accompany her on the dance floor. "Sure, sounds like fun," he had said with an easy smile when she had timidly asked him to dance. He was surprisingly good, she thought, hoping at the same time that she didn't step on him, or fall flat on her face in trying to keep up.

"Have you done this often?" she asked him, trying to keep an awkward silence at bay.

"Nah," he said with that easy grin of his. "I actually only learned how to dance recently. You're not so bad yourself. Honestly, I was afraid I'd have to dance with Erza, and she's pretty scary when it comes to dancing."

"Yes, I've heard stories of Titania's ferocity in battle," Yukino replied with a small smile of her own. "Although I do have to say, she's a lot nicer than I expected her to be."

"She'll keep you on your toes, that's for sure," Gray snickered. Then his expression changed to one of uncertainty before he asked, "So… This is gonna sound kinda weird, but… Do you have any plans when you get to Magnolia?"

"Hmm?" she replied, a little nonplussed. "Well, I was going to look for an apartment, I suppose. I used to live at Sabertooth's guild hall, but I won't be going back there. Kinana said that she would help me find a place, though, so I'm not too worried about it."

"Well, when you sort all that out, would you like to grab some dinner with me?" Gray offered. "I know this is kinda outta the blue, and we just met, but you seem like a nice girl. I was hoping you'd be up for a night on the town?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed, more than a little surprised. She hadn't taken Gray to be so bold, but at the same time, he was being very polite about it. "I mean… why not?" she finally answered him. "It might take a couple of weeks for me to get everything in order, but once I'm done moving, I'd be happy to join you for dinner." She managed a smile as she finished speaking.

"Cool," Gray smiled back. "The only hitch we might run into is Juvia. She's a little…"

"Obsessed?" Yukino volunteered. She giggled a bit as she said, "I have a few memories from being part of Lucino that made that pretty clear."

"Oh, okay," he laughed a little nervously. "Glad I don't have to explain it, then."

"I think I can handle her if it came to it," she assured him. "But that's sweet of you to give me fair warning."

"Honestly, I'm surprised she hasn't tried to drown us already," Gray mused, suddenly looking around for his stalker. "Huh. Wonder where she got to?"

* * *

Said rain woman was hiding behind a pillar, tears of jealousy and helpless rage pouring down her face as she watched her true love dancing with some other woman. She wanted nothing more than to blast her away from him with a Water Nebula, but she knew that Gray wouldn't like it if she did that.

He had been so irritable lately, ever since he started hanging out with that alien boy. _He's a bad influence,_ she decided. He was too quick to judge others, caring little for how his words would affect them. First he picked on Cana, then he had interposed himself between her and her beloved Gray.

Sure, he had given it his all in fighting the dragon Zirconis, but that was no less than what any of the rest of them had done. The only difference was the amount of power they each held. He had done what he needed to survive, that was all, she assured herself.

 _Maybe if I get in between him and Kinana, he'll understand what it's like,_ she considered briefly, then rejected the idea. Those two were like peas in a pod- she seriously doubted anything could come between them.

"Seems like an awfully lonely place to be during a party," a familiar voice said from next to her, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. She whirled around to see Lyon standing a few feet away with a couple of glasses in his hands, and a small smile on his face. "Sorry, my dear," he said, his smile widening a bit. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"I'm not your 'dear," she huffed bitterly.

"Sorry," Lyon apologized. "I simply thought you might like some company since it seems as though most of your friends are otherwise engaged."

"And yours?" Juvia asked. "Don't you have comrades you could be spending the evening with?"

"I could," he nodded. "But I'd rather come and talk to you. Unless you'd rather I leave you alone?"

Juvia eyed the glasses in his hand, then looked back at Gray dancing with the white-haired vixen. "I could do with one of those," she said as she held up a hand for one of the glasses.

"Sure," Lyon chuckled, though he was a little surprised when she downed the whole thing in one long drink. "Are you all right?"

"Perhaps with a couple more of those, I will be," Juvia replied.

* * *

Gorun and Kinana had just stepped off the dance floor when the boy spotted someone else he had been meaning to talk to. "Mind if I get back to you?" he asked his girlfriend.

"Sure," she nodded. "I could use a break anyway. These heels are killing my feet." They parted ways, she going to sit in a chair against a wall with Erza and Kagura, while Gorun moved toward one of the smaller gatherings.

"Macao, Wakaba," Gorun said as a way of greeting as he approached the two men, who were accompanied by Romeo. "Enjoying the party?"

"Yeah," Macao grinned. "This is kind of a novel experience for us- never thought we'd be invited to a royal get-together like this." Wakaba nodded his agreement, for once appearing without his smoking pipe in his mouth, though Gorun could have wagered that he had it somewhere on his person.

"Nice," the Saiyan hybrid grinned. "Well, if you two don't mind, I actually wanted to talk to Romeo for a minute. That alright?"

"Sure, go on ahead," Macao nodded as he and Wakaba moved toward the drink's table. "Catch you later, Gorun."

"Sure thing, Macao," he said as they walked away. Once they had gone, he said in aside to Romeo, "It's still kinda weird for me, him not being the guild master."

"I think it was weirder for me when he was," Romeo grinned. "Now he can't pull rank on me anymore, since he's not even S-class."

"He's still your dad," Gorun reminded him, causing the younger teenager to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, I know that," he huffed. "Did you send them off just to remind me of that?"

"Nope," his elder replied with a shake of his head. "I wanted to offer you a job."

Romeo's eyes widened in surprise as he looked up directly at the taller young man. "What, you mean like going on a quest with you?"

"Sure, or more than one if you'd like," Gorun smiled at him. "Me, Kinana, and Yukino are forming an official team when we get back to Magnolia. And I'd like to see you be a part of that team, too."

"R-Really?" the boy gaped, shocked that Fairy Tail's strongest wizard- for there was little doubt that he was now, at least in Romeo's mind- wanted him on his team. "But… I don't know that I'd be able to keep up with you."

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for," Gorun said, his gaze growing serious. "I heard about how you wiped out a squad of those dragons, with a technique that you put together yourself, no less. That took not only strength, but no small amount of brains to pull off."

"Well, I mean, Dad and Wakaba helped," Romeo said, reddening a bit from the praise he was receiving. "I didn't do all the work."

"Well, I didn't take down that dragon alone, either," Gorun pointed out. "Wendy and the others were a big part of taking him down. If it had just been me, I would've been killed. That's what teammates are for- to help each other succeed where one alone might fail." He clapped the younger wizard on the shoulder and asked, "So what do you say? Wanna join the Golden Tail?"

"Yeah!" Romeo grinned back. "Thanks for taking me on!"

"Don't thank me," Gorun said with a shake of his head. "Thank Kinana, it was her idea. She told me that you had a lot of potential months ago, but I was too busy trying to get closer to her to pay any attention to you. So I guess I owe you an apology for that."

Romeo's grin widened at that. "That's all right," he said. "I've gotten way stronger over the last few months, so now at least I won't be a total burden on you guys. I know I would've been before the Tenrou Team came back."

"Well then, welcome to the team," Gorun said as he reached out with his hand. "We're glad to have you with us."

"Glad to be a part of it," Romeo said as he shook hands with the taller boy.

* * *

Romeo had- with Gorun's permission- gone to dance with Kinana, leaving Gorun alone against the wall, his mind whirling with a multitude of thoughts, so many that he didn't know where to begin. There was the matter of his divine heritage, and all that could entail. There was the fact that he could potentially become a Wizard Saint sometime in the next few months. He also had to consider his new positon as a team leader in the guild, thinking on how to form four very different wizards into an effective unit.

"Looks like you could use a drink," a familiar voice said next to him, startling him a little bit. Turning around, he was surprised to see Cana in a nice white dress, laced with a purple that matched her eyes on the edges. It was low-cut, of course, but as far as her taste in clothing went, it was pretty conservative.

"Ha, no thanks," he said with a grin as he relaxed again. "No amount of that stuff could possibly take edge off enough for what we just went through."

"Actually, you're right about that," the brunette agreed after a moment of thought. "The dragons and all would've been bad enough, but the whole time-travel thing, you turning out to be some sort of demi-god…" She shook her head in mild disbelief. "And I thought this guild was nuts before you showed up."

"Well, someone wise once told me that just because things don't work out the way that we expected, it doesn't really make it a bad thing," Gorun said, recalling Kinana's words to him on the night that he confessed his origins to her. "Things could've been a lot worse, you know?"

"We lost Lucy," Cana said somberly.

"True," Gorun acknowledged. "But I know that she'll be okay. The Supreme Kai of Time is a kind goddess for the most part, and she did promise to bring the Levy from their time to work in the Time Patrol, too. So at least they have each other."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," the girl nodded. Looking over at the etherion mage, she asked, "Is it a dangerous life?"

"Yeah," he replied bluntly. "It's a dangerous existence, but not one without its merits. Sort of like the work we do as wizards." He added another smile as he added, "Don't worry. She won't assign them any missions they can't handle."

"If it wasn't so bad, why'd you leave?" Cana asked him seriously. "I mean, it sounds like you could've had the run of the place if you wanted. Why leave?"

"Because I didn't want any of it," Gorun shrugged in response. "And even if I did rise through the ranks of the Time Patrol, it wouldn't have been because of my accomplishments. It would've been because I'm Goku and Vegeta's protégé. If I ever gain prestige and power, I want it to be because of my efforts, and nothing else."

"So you like doing things the hard way, then," she teased him with a smile.

"If we're cutting to the chase, then yeah, I do like a challenge," he grinned back. "I gotta wonder, though… Are we cool?"

"You won us the games, so I kept up my end of the deal," she replied, her grin widening. "Us being number one is more important to me than boozing out, so if that's the price I have to pay, I'm all right with that. I guess it's time for a change, anyway."

"Glad to hear it," Gorun said with another measure of relief washing away the weight on his shoulders. "Off-topic, did you bring a date here tonight?"

"Nah, I like being a free agent," she smirked. "Why?"

"Well, if it's all right with you, how about a dance to mark the occasion?" He offered as he searched the dance floor for Kinana, hoping to catch her eye.

"What, the end of our little feud?" she laughed at him. "Sure, as long as your girl doesn't blast me through the basement of the castle."

"Got you covered," he replied as he finally caught his girlfriend's attention. Waving at her, he pointed to Cana, then himself, raising his eyebrows in an unspoken question. She nodded back before she took another spin with Romeo, who looked like he was having a better time than the last occasion where he had danced.

"Got the green flag," he said as he turned back to Cana and held out a hand. "Here's to a long life in Fairy Tail."

"I'd drink to that, but I guess a dance will have to do," the brunette chuckled.

* * *

The celebration passed by with only two more major incidents.

The first occurred when Sting and Rogue noticed that Yukino was in attendance. Kinana and Gorun had shared a few more dances together, and were spending time with their other friends again, the purple-haired girl speaking to Lucy and Levy while Gorun went to dance with Yukino. It was during this time that the pair approached the girl, their faces somber.

Immediately, the girl shrank back and said in a low voice, "Sorry, Gorun. Thanks for the dance, but I should get-"

"Wait!" Sting pleaded, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "Please, Yukino. We just wanted to say that we're sorry for what happened… For the way that we treated you."

"Such things will never again take place in our guild hall," Rogue vowed. "We're rebuilding Sabertooth anew."

"Jiemma and milady are both gone," Sting added. "And to be frank, I'm glad that they are. But Sabertooth just won't feel the same without you in it, Yukino."

"We'll miss you lots!" Frosch added, still dressed in his frog costume, despite the fancy event that they were attending.

"Yeah, we were all pretty bummed about what the old master did to ya," Lector chimed in, dressed smart in a black vest with a blue bow tie. "But we'd be real glad if you came back!"

"All of you…" Yukino said in a soft voice. However, she made no move to come out from behind Gorun, so he turned back to look at her.

"It's your choice," he said quietly. "If you want to go back to them, I won't stop you. I'll be sad, but I won't stop you from doing what you believe to be right." She locked eyes with him, then nodded ever so slightly.

The girl stepped up to stand beside her comrade, her chin firm and her back straight. "You say you're sorry, and I believe that you are," she told them. "But even if that is the case, none of you reached out to help me when I needed it most. Gorun and his guild took me in, no questions asked, and offered me a place to belong. They didn't care if I was strong or weak, they simply accepted me as I am." Glancing at her new team leader, who smiled encouragingly, she turned back to look Sting in the eye and said, "Sorry, Sting. But I think it's best if you and the others remember that there are consequences for allowing cruelty to happen in front of you when you could have done something about it. I won't be going back to Sabertooth, now or ever."

"But-"

"I'm a proud Fairy Tail wizard now," she said firmly as she held up her right hand to display her new guild sigil, overriding the White Dragon Slayer. "Gorun offered me a position on his own team, and I've decided to accept."

Sting looked like he wanted to protest, but Rogue laid a hand on his arm and said, "It's all right, Sting. Let it go." The blond man sagged noticeably, and his friend said, "She is right, you know. Our actions- or this case, inaction- has cost us greatly. It should serve as a reminder for how we model our new guild."

"I… guess you're right," Sting said, sounding defeated. Looking over at Gorun, he stood up straight and said, "Take care good care of her, okay man? She deserves a lot better than what we gave her."

"I will," the Saiyan boy nodded. "You have my word."

"Good luck to you," Rogue said as he bowed from the waist to her. "I sincerely hope that your new life is a good one."

"Thank you," she said with a nod of concession.

"Aw…" Frosch said, his eyes welling up with tears. "I'm gonna be sad now that you're not with us!"

Yukino smiled down at the green exceed, reaching down to pat him affectionately on the head. "I won't be too far away," she told the sad cat. "You can come and visit me whenever you like, okay?"

"I'll tag along, ya know, just to make sure he doesn't get lost," Lector offered, trying to hide his own sadness behind a veil of swagger.

"I'll be glad to see you too, Lector," Yukino said while turning to include him the smile. Standing up straight, she looked at her former guild mates and added, "Good luck with your new Sabertooth. I hope it's better than the one I left."

"It will be," Sting vowed.

"If there's anything we can do to make it up to you, let us know," Rogue added. "We'll come running."

* * *

The second incident happened not too long after Sting and Rogue went to go deliver the bad news to their guild mates. Apparently, word of Yukino's decision to join Fairy Tail was heard by Kagura, who happened to be incredibly tipsy at the time. As such, she decided to march over to Gorun and demand that he turn Yukino over to her guild, since she owed the sword maiden her life.

"Yeah, no way," the Saiyan boy replied flatly. "You wanna call a favor in with her at some point, and I'll gladly send our team over to help you. But she's made her decision about where she wants to be, and that's with our family. Sorry, but you're gonna have to go fish for new recruits somewhere else."

"I will fight you!" Kagura slurred. "The winner gets the girl!"

"Girl cannot hold her liquor," Cana sniggered in an aside to Lucy.

"Maybe not, but even drunk she'll be a handful," the blond mage muttered. "What do we do?"

"Ah, let Gorun handle it," she said dismissively. "The guy can take on a dragon, and he's not even a dragon slayer! He'll be fine."

"I will arm wrestle you," Gorun offered.

Before Kagura could retort, Hibiki jumped in. "A beautiful girl such as her only deserves the most beautiful guild," he said with a wink and a smile.

"Hey, hey!" Bacchus called loudly from where he'd been drinking. "Ours has always been a wild guild, but maybe we could use a womanly tou-!"

 _Blam!_ Gorun's fist smashed into his face, sending him flying into a support column. Everyone looked at Gorun in surprise, who was grinning madly. "Been wanting to do that since day two of the games," he chuckled.

"That was so not wild!" one of the drunken wizard's comrades shouted. "Rush him, boys!"

"Hey!" Kagura shouted as she backhanded one of the men into Ichiya, who had been approaching quietly. "I was here first!"

"Man!" Ichiya groaned. "Her parfum is even more potent than Erza's…"

"Low blow!" Eve shouted, sending a concentrated snowstorm at the Mermaid Heel member. "Let's get her!"

"Well, that took longer than I thought it would," Mirajane said with a bright smile on her face as she and Lucy watched the entire party turn into one big brawl. In the midst of all the arguing over which guild would get Yukino, rain began to beat viciously on the windows of the palace, and Lucy could have sworn it was supposed to be a clear night.

"I was afraid this would happen," the celestial mage sighed. "Even when we're not at home, Fairy Tail wizards have to break something."

Gorun had Ren in headlock and Sting under his foot when there was a loud banging sound from atop a balcony where the king was supposedly going to make his entrance. Standing there, looking most displeased, was Arcadios, a new sword in his sheath, which he had used to slam on the ground in order to get their attention. "Silence before the king!" he declared.

The gathering fell quiet and managed to make themselves look as presentable as possible while the doors to the balcony swung open as Arcadios announced the king properly. However…

"Since when was the king five-foot-ten and have pink hair?" Gorun said before he began to laugh at the sight of Natsu dressed in royal robes and wearing the king's crown. Behind him, they could just make out the pumpkin mascot, King Mato, jumping up and down in a vain attempt to take back his symbol of office.

"Silence, my loyal subjects!" Natsu shouted, an evil grin on his face. "Since I have taken the crown, I am now the king to which you will bow! You will all do as I say!"

Gorun was laughing himself silly while Natsu's teammates rolled their eyes, not exactly surprised by the stunt he had just pulled. "I was wondering where he was…" Lucy could be heard saying. Makarov looked as though he had aged ten years in as many seconds as he witnessed the dragon slayer's latest stunt.

Yukino was in awe of Natsu's audacity to the point where her mouth was hanging open as she witnessed Colonel Arcadios try to take the crown back from the fire wizard. Seeing this, Kinana sidled up to her and whispered, "It's not too late to go back to Sabertooth."

Yukino shut her mouth and looked at her new teammate, her face slowly lighting up with a grin. "Never," she said happily. "I'm glad to be where I am."

* * *

 **Saiki: I see that many things have now changed for this story.**

 **Gorun: How do you mean?**

 **Mataras: Well, Urtear didn't sacrifice herself, for starters. That's a major change from the original story. Cana and you are finally on good terms, not to mention you don't have to worry about the Time Patrol anymore.** **Future Lucy is not only alive, she is with Levy in the Time Patrol.** **Kinana knows who she is, or rather was. Actually, the same could be said of you, too.**

 **Gorun: Yeah, about that... How long have you been planning on making me part-kai?!**

 **Mataras: From the beginning. I've always been a shipper of the Supreme Kai of Time and Trunks, so...**

 **Saiki: This also begs the question as to how it will affect Gorun's advances in power.**

 **Mataras: How do you mean?**

 **Saiki: Will he be able to achieve Super Saiyan God on his own? Will he be able to go beyond that?**

 **Gorun: Oh. Huh... Hadn't thought about that.**

 **Mataras: Time will tell, as it so often does.**

 **Gorun: Okay, but if I get to be that powerful, who's gonna stand a chance against me?**

 **Mataras: And that, my friend, is something we will find out very soon.**

 **Gorun: ...What did you do...?**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- The Gift of Home**

 **Mataras: I wonder how many people are going to be mad that Gorun didn't get his comeuppance yet?**

 **Gorun: Whaddya mean, _yet?!_**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan_ Tail...

"What's the point of forming a new team if we don't even go on any missions together?" Romeo muttered one day at dinner. He was sitting with Yukino, Gray, and Macao, the latter of which had just returned from a job and was grateful to be able to rest.

"Not every team goes together for every single job, ya know," Gray reminded him. "Me, Erza, Wendy, and Carla went on a job without Natsu, Lucy, and Happy just the other day."

"Yeah, but you all ended up working together to fight that giant mole thing," the young fire mage pointed out.

"If it's any consolation, Gorun said that he had something he wanted to show us this evening," Yukino told her comrade. "Said he was coming back for active duty tomorrow, too, so maybe we can start going on quests together like you wanted."

"About time!" the boy exclaimed. "When'd you hear that?"

"He was in this morning, talking to Kinana," the girl replied. "He seemed pretty excited about whatever it is he's been working on."

"Any idea what could have taken him three weeks to figure out?" Macao wondered aloud. "I know he's been healed up for at least two- saw him training out by the water when I was headed out of town one day."

"You know how he is," Gray shrugged. "He likes keeping certain things to himself. I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready."

* * *

 **Broly Spoiler-Free Review**

Voice Acting: 9/10

Animation: 10/10

Humor: 9/10

Fights: 9/10

Overall Plot: 8/10

Conclusion: 7/10

Total Red Swordsman Rating: 87%

Go see this movie, guys, no regrets at all! It was far better than what I had expected out of a Dragon Ball movie, especially considering they were using Broly (pretty much the Jar Jar Binks of the franchise) as the main character. However, it was a very different Broly than the one that we have been used to for the last couple of decades, and I was very pleasantly surprised with how he- and the movie as a result- turned out. Also, getting to see Gine for the first time was great, and Bardock, though brief his appearance, was awesome. And of course, GOGETA. OH. MAN. Gonna wrap this up before I lose my crap again.

For a point of reference in my ratings, the film has to be above an 80% for me to purchase it on DVD. I hope that this review has been helpful to you, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it and this chapter. And one last reminder, go check out that poll that I've set up for you guys on my home page!


	17. The Gift of Home

**A/N: Hello everyone. Been a bit of a rough couple of weeks, but I'm glad to be bring an end to arc one of this story. I've received pretty mixed reviews on how I've chosen to make the story progress thus far, but that's okay- gives me more of a challenge to try and exceed your guys' expectations. I WILL DO IT!**

 **I am looking forward seeing which fusion you guys want to see during the Tartaros arc (right now the fusion between Natsu and Gajeel is currently trailing in second behind a double-trouble sibling fusion comprised of the Strauss sisters) and just as a consideration to those who have difficulty deciding, I've allowed for two votes per person in this poll. Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it before, the winner of the poll with be illustrated by yours truly and put on display as the cover art for this story (for a month).**

 **Now, let's get into it! Sorry if this chapter is a little shorter than usual, but there is plenty that happens, and the ending in particular should get a new hype train going (I hope). ...Roll film!**

 **OP Song: Sora ni Utaeba (original or cover by Amanda Lee)**

 **P.S. Jump Force- ranks in the top three for the birthday gifts I received this week! Definitely a game worth waiting waiting for!**

* * *

 _Magic Battle Nexus Arc: Epilogue_

 **The Gift of Home**

"Y'know, it's been a long time since I didn't have to fly somewhere, or use instant transmission," Gorun said as he stretched his still somewhat-aching arms above his head before settling back into a rather comfortable couch set in the carriage that he, Yukino, Kinana, and Romeo were riding in. "I forgot how nice it is to let someone else do the travelling for me."

He and Kinana were on one side of the compartment, with Yukino and Romeo sitting opposite of them. Just ahead of their carriage, another much like it was carrying Team Natsu home to Magnolia. Both were gifts from the king to see them all safely home. Gorun suspected that Hisui might have had a hand in the gifts as a way of apology, but he didn't comment on the fact.

"But with instant transmission, you don't have to travel at all," Romeo said. "We could all be back in Magnolia by now, why bother with the carriage ride back?"

"Cos then you'd miss all that, kid," Gorun said as he pointed out the window with his thumb. Outside lay a beautiful countryside, backed by a glorious mountain range and a crystal blue sky. Here and there a few white clouds scuttled along, but other than that, the sun was warm and bright, lighting up the scenery masterfully.

"Something to keep in mind," the Saiyan added when he saw that Romeo seemed unimpressed. "That landscape wouldn't have been there if we hadn't been able to act as we did." He saw the sobering words strike home with the boy, so in a gentler tone, he said, "Appreciate everything that you see here, Romeo, because it might not always be there."

"On the other hand," Kinana said with a soft smile as she intertwined her fingers with Gorun's, "If we continue to work hard, and stay vigilant, this beautiful landscape will be here long after us."

"I like the thought of that," Yukino said as she stared out the window absently. "Our efforts preserving such beauty as this…"

* * *

The two carriages made a stop at around lunch time, giving the travelers a chance to stretch their legs and chat for an hour before they would have to get back on the road again. Natsu immediately flopped onto a rock, groaning with a mixture of agony and relief while Happy and Romeo sat next to him and tried to get his mind off his weak stomach. Lucy, Carla, and Wendy sat down and began to make flower bracelets and crowns out of the plants growing in the field around them. Meanwhile, Erza sat up against the rock that Natsu had claimed and began scribbling in a large notebook. While this was going on, Gray walked over to rest under the shade of a tree, somewhat away from Natsu's grumblings. Yukino and Kinana moved to join the other girls in making flower decorations while Gorun contented himself with studying the landscape once again.

 _I wonder how Lucy and Levy are doing in the Time Patrol,_ he thought somberly, the thought striking him from out of nowhere. _Probably well enough. Both of them are talented, not to mention that their abilities will make them unique assets in the field… They may not be able to fire a Kamehameha that can wipe out a solar system, but they'd excel at the stealth and infiltration ops that come up from time to time…_

"Earthland to Gorun!"

"Bwuh?" he muttered, suddenly realizing that Lucy had been calling his name for a few moments now. "Er, sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "I was lost in thought. What'd you need?"

"Just wondering what your plans are for when we get back to Magnolia," the blond girl replied, fixing her gaze back on her plant project. "Heard you and these three were gonna make a new team?"

"Yeah, the Golden Tail," Gorun answered with a proud grin.

"You mean, like your…?" Wendy started, then hesitated. She'd only heard that he had a monkey-like tail, and since he always kept it hidden, only a few of the guild members had seen it.

"Hadn't really thought about it like that," the Saiyan boy shrugged.

"Speaking of your tail, I've been meaning to ask…" Erza said as she looked up from her notebook. "Since it is no longer a secret, why keep it hidden? You have nothing to fear from anyone at the guild."

"It's not you guys I'm worried about," Gorun replied. "Though I do appreciate the gesture, Erza. The issue is the larger masses and the full moon."

"Wizards are known to have oddities due to their magic power set," Carla countered. "But what does the full moon have to do with it?"

"The moon emits a certain kind of radiation that turns his people into giant apes that are even harder to control than the Saiyan Soul forms," Kinana answered for him. "They can only absorb enough of it to transform during a full moon, but if he does it on accident, he would lose all sense of reason."

"I guess we do have enough monsters running around, blowing things up," Lucy said with a pointed look at Natsu.

"Is now a bad time to remind you all that I blew up a mountain range?" Gorun volunteered, taking the heat off of Natsu before he became riled up. "Big difference between him causing collateral damage and me losing my mind."

"Yeah, whatever man!" Natsu cackled, suddenly sitting up with a wicked grin. "I'll just get stronger and stronger until I'm so powerful I'll be able to blow up a whole country! Then the top spot in the guild is mine!"

"Top spot?" Gorun chuckled. "I'm not-"

"The final form that you used against the dragons the night of the attack," Erza interrupted him. "It most certainly surpasses Gildarts' power. The much-coveted title of Fairy Tail's strongest is yours, Gorun."

"No, it isn't," he said with an emphatic shake of his head. "I'm not the strongest, not yet. I could barely hold that form for a minute, and look at what it did to me." He held up his shirt to reveal the bandages that still lay there. "Most of the damage and exhaustion Wendy and Porlyusica had to treat me for was self-inflicted. I pushed my takeover spell too far, too fast. My body is barely getting used to Super Saiyan 2, and I went all the way to level three. I'm lucky I didn't obliterate myself."

"So… we won't be seeing that form again for a while?" Romeo guessed.

"I really hope not," Gorun said with a wry grin. "My body will emerge from this ordeal stronger than ever, but even so, I won't be trying for that transformation again any time soon."

"Even so, I'd say your second form puts you in the same league as Master Makarov and Laxus," Carla said as she finished a bracelet and held it out for Wendy to take.

"Master I could take on with Super Saiyan," Gorun nodded. "Laxus, on the other hand, would definitely need my second form to beat. He's a lot stronger than he lets on. I'd even put him on a similar playing field with Gildarts, though I think the old man still has him beat by a bit."

"No way!" Natsu shouted indignantly. "You're sayin' I gotta beat Gildarts, you, _and_ Laxus again?!"

"Don't forget that you still have to get past me, Natsu," Erza said with a dangerous smirk. "We never did have our rematch."

"It'll be real soon, Erza!" Natsu shot back with a challenging grin. "You're goin' down!"

"Can I sell tickets?" Gorun chuckled.

* * *

Shortly before it was time to leave the area, Gorun approached the tree that Gray was standing under. "You okay?" he asked the ice wizard.

"Yeah, just doin' some thinking," he answered as he faced his friend. He face was serious, but he wore a smile as he greeted the other boy.

"Do you mind if I ask what about?" Gorun prompted him.

"Just what coulda happened if you hadn't come into our lives," Gray replied. "I mean, we definitely would've had a way harder time against the dragons. And before that, the games woulda been a whole other league of difficult. You've really helped us out around here, pal, and I don't care what your old boss says." He held out a fist toward his comrade and added, "I'm real glad you're Fairy Tail, Gorun."

"Me too," the other boy laughed as he bumped fists with the ice-make wizard. "Got any plans when we get back to Magnolia?"

"Gonna start taking on some jobs again," Gray replied. "Haven't done one since the magic ball, before the games."

"Sounds like a plan," Gorun nodded approvingly. "Me, I might take a couple of weeks off before my team and I become active."

"Why's that?" Gray asked curiously. "You really need that much more time to recover?"

"I'll be fine in a few days," Gorun said easily. "But that's not why I want to take a break from the action. I wanted… Well, I wanted to look at getting a house for myself."

Gray looked at him, eyes wide with surprise. "A house?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Gorun grinned. "I've been thinking a lot about my future, and I think it would be nice for me to have my own place instead of just renting out a pad, you know?"

"I thought you really liked your apartment," Gray said, confused. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"It's not all that sudden," his friend shrugged. "My lease expires in a few weeks, so I figured that if I was going to look for a home, this would be a good time to do it."

"That's… really cool, actually," Gray said as he thought about what his comrade was saying. "If you need help finding a place, I know the Strauss siblings, Alzack's family, and Macao all own homes in the city. Everyone else lives at the guild hall or rents out a place."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Gorun replied, filing the information away for later use.

"You sure there isn't any other reason why you'd suddenly want a house?" Gray asked, prodding him with an elbow. "Come on, man, you can trust me to keep my mouth shut."

"You did keep my tail a secret pretty well," Gorun conceded. "All right, then… Look, this stays between you and me, got it? Not even Kinana knows about me looking for a house."

"How come?" Gray asked with a slightly cocked head. "I thought you guys did everything together."

"Well, I'd rather this be a surprise," Gorun said with a conspirator's smile. "See, a house isn't the only thing I'm shopping for." As he spoke, he held up his left hand and waggled his ring finger.

Gray's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, and Gorun had to clamp his hand over his friend's mouth to prevent the involuntary shout from escaping. When he was certain that Gray had himself under control, he released his grip on the other boy's jaw.

"Yeesh, you sure you need more time to heal?" Gray muttered as he massaged a small bruise where Gorun had grabbed him. "You feel plenty strong to me."

"Sorry about that, but I didn't want to explain the yelling," the Saiyan hybrid replied with a wince. "I didn't think you would react so strongly. I mean, the legal age is sixteen in the country, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's just…" Gray hesitated unsure of how to respond. "It's not common at our age, is all. And I mean, you only started dating a few weeks ago, right?"

"Yeah, but in all honesty, we should have started sooner," Gorun shrugged. "Look, I'm not saying that I want to rush her off to the cathedral the minute we get back to Magnolia, but I do want this very much. My life has been so great since I came here, and she's a large part of that. It's because of her that I joined Fairy Tail, found a home here in this new world for me. She's been my best friend ever since I came here. All that aside, I love her. Should I need any more reasons than those?"

"I mean…" Gray hesitated, then fell silent for a moment. "I dunno, man," he said at length. "I obviously don't have much experience when it comes to romance, so you're asking the wrong guy. All I can say is that if you believe this is gonna make the both of you happy, then I'd better get an invite right after Erza does to your wedding."

"Why after Erza?" Gorun asked with a quizzical smile.

"Did'ja see her when she found out she missed Bisca and Alzack's wedding?" Gray snickered. "I thought she was gonna shake poor Max to death out of frustration."

"Got it, Erza gets the first invite." They shared a long bout of laughter after that before falling into a companionable silence.

"You really wanna marry her, huh?" Gray asked.

"Yeah, I really do," Gorun said with a contented smile.

"Then I got another question for you," the ice wizard said with a mischievous grin. "Who's gonna be your best man?"

"I'll let you and Natsu fight each other for it."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"That's fair."

* * *

"Here you go, Miss Yukino!" Wendy said as she approached the silver-haired wizard. She held out her hands, which bore a white flower crown.

"This is for me?" the older girl asked in surprise. "But I can't take it! You worked so hard on it, and it would look a lot cuter on you-"

"I made it for you, though," Wendy said with an encouraging smile. "It's my welcome-to-the-guild gift! I know Erza always buys a cake for new members, so you'll get to have that when we get to Magnolia. I can't really afford something like that, but I always used to make these flower crowns with my mother, and she liked it when I gave her one. I couldn't really think of anything else I could make you, actually…" She flushed with embarrassment as she continued to hold out the offered gift. "I-If you don't like it, I-"

"No, it's lovely!" Yukino said swiftly, taking the crown gingerly from her younger comrade's hands and setting it on her head with a smile. "I'm just not used to receiving gifts from others is all. When I got into Sabertooth, it was as though that should have been a gift enough." Wendy's face lit up as she realized that Yukino genuinely enjoyed her present.

"Well, with Fairy Tail, I think that joining _is_ a gift in it of itself," Lucy said with a bright smile at her new friend. "But the people here are also really glad that you joined us. Expect a lot in the way of attention and gift-giving over the next few days."

"Oh dear," Yukino said, her own face turning a few shades redder.

"You're gonna scare off my teammate," Kinana said with an easy grin toward Lucy. Then her eyes flicked up to where Gorun and Gray were approaching, both of them wearing big smiles. "What're you two up to?" she asked them suspiciously.

"You'll see," Gorun replied with a laugh as he bent down and kissed her brow. "I promise it won't be long."

"My birthday isn't for another four months, so what are you planning?" she asked, her suspicion growing.

"Trust me, it'll be worth the wait," Gray chuckled. And no matter how much the others tried to get them to spill, the only answer they received was their conspirators' smiles.

* * *

The welcome they received from Magnolia was a spectacle to behold. The entire city turned out to cheer them on, even the Twilight Ogre guild members. The streets were filled with people and confetti that showered down like snow.

"This is new," Gorun said as he looked around, waving his free hand at the gathered citizens. The other was currently occupied by his girlfriend's hand. "I don't think we've ever been so well-received before."

"This is how it used to be, before the Tenrou team was taken from us," Kinana reminded him. "And now that we're number one again, you can get used to this kind of reception." The couple shared in a smile, glad to be a part of their guild.

Amid the cheering and noise, Natsu paused at one point to reach into his backpack. "Hang on, you guys!" he shouted. "I got a souvenir to remind everyone who the number one guild is!" Out of the pack, he pulled-

"Is that the king's friggin' crown?!" Wakaba shouted while everyone else stared at the dragon slayer, dumbstruck. There, in his hands, was the symbol of office for the King of Fiore.

"They're gonna throw you in the dungeon, Natsu!" Wendy shouted worriedly.

"Whoops!" the pinkette laughed nervously as he stuffed the item back into his pack. "Sorry, you all weren't supposed to see that…"

"Shouldn't you take that and teleport it back to Crocus?" Kinana suggested, but Gorun shook his head in the negative.

"Nah," he said with a smirk. "I'm still kinda mad about the Eclipse Gate. They earned that one."

"Here it is!" Natsu crowed, holding the Grand Magic Games winner's trophy high over his head. "A really shiny cup!" Magnolia redoubled its cheering for the group of wizards as Natsu had Romeo grab the cup and sit high on his shoulders.

"This is a wonderful reception," Yukino said as she smiled shyly at the cheering crowd. "Is Magnolia always so lively?"

"It's home to our guild, so it's gotta be," Lucy grinned at her friend. "You'll get used to it, don't worry."

"Well done, Fairy Tail!" the master of Twilight Ogre said as he stepped up to the head of their column. His appearance gave some of their members pause, but they were put somewhat at ease by his friendly smile, and the fact that he was accompanied by someone that looked very official to them. "The mayor of Magnolia has a few words he'd like to share with all of you!" the man said as he bowed out, moving into a portion of the crowd where several of his grunts were standing.

"For years, your guild was a symbol of pride for this great city," the mayor began, once the crowd had settled down a little. "Though you faced a great hardship, you persevered and rose to become the number one guild in our country again. And to that end, we as a city have prepared a gift for you."

"Good mayor, you're far too kind," Makarov said as he approached the man with a subdued smile.

"Observe- your gift is to my right," the small official said as he gave a courtly sweep with his right arm to indicate the direction they should aim their attention.

What they saw made many of them burst into cheers and tears of joy. There, standing more magnificently than ever before, was the original Fairy Tail guild hall. Makarov was actually sobbing with sheer joy as he fell to his knees, giving thanks to the mayor and his citizens.

"We get our old hall back?!" Gajeel shouted with surprise, his eyes alight with a genuine delight that was rare to see on his face.

"Aye, sir!" Happy exclaimed.

"We had it reconstructed and restored so that it's even better than before!" Twilight Ogre's master said proudly. "You've done us all proud, and this is our way of sayin' thanks!"

"I love Magnolia with all my heart!" Makarov cried as he wiped his eyes.

"This is awesome!" Natsu cheered.

"All right!" Gray shouted exuberantly, clapping Gorun on the shoulder as he laughed with excitement. "We finally got our old guild hall back!"

"This is amazing," Gorun said with a small smile. "You know, I've never actually been in this place before?"

"Then it's time you did," Kinana said, squeezing his hand gently. "Welcome home, Son Gorun."

"Home," he repeated under his breath, liking the feel of it in his mouth, and the sense of belonging that it filled his heart with.

For that is what Fairy Tail was, now more than ever. He now knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he would never have to return to the Time Patrol, and for the first time in his life, he felt glad that he could call the place before him 'home'.

"It's good to be here."

* * *

The following weeks passed by quickly for most people in the revived guild. New members came pouring in to help with the new onslaught of job requests that were flooding the request board, though the members that had stayed through with the seven-year trial were often granted first tabs on the more lucrative jobs- provided they could handle it, of course.

Yukino had settled in nicely, being welcomed readily by all the members of the guild, save for Juvia, who barely spoke a word to the girl, other than the phrase, 'love rival'. Bisca and Lucy helped her to find a nice apartment to move in to, and Mirajane helped her get familiar with the layout of the guild hall so that she could find job requests and the other facilities without much trouble.

Kinana resumed her work as barmaid on the days when she wasn't taking job requests, and Romeo finished the wizarding exams set by Makarov to determine that he was ready for A-class jobs if he wanted to go solo.

However, the three of them and their leader had yet to go on a mission together. Gorun had claimed that he needed some time off from work, and was hardly in the guild with the others, though it was clear whenever he came in that he loved the foundational building of the guild that he had come to call his home. The rest of the time, he was rarely seen at all, except by Kinana, who still went on regular dates with him, though even she had no idea what was keeping him busy.

Natsu got the idea to try and follow him one day, but ended up meeting a dead end when Gorun used instant transmission to escape his radar.

"What's the point of forming a new team if we don't even go on any missions together?" Romeo muttered one day at dinner. He was sitting with Yukino, Gray, and Macao, the latter of which had just returned from a job and was grateful to be able to rest.

"Not every team goes together for every single job, ya know," Gray reminded him. "Me, Erza, Wendy, and Carla went on a job without Natsu, Lucy, and Happy just the other day."

"Yeah, but you all ended up working together to fight that giant mole thing," the young fire mage pointed out.

"If it's any consolation, Gorun said that he had something he wanted to show us this evening," Yukino told her comrade. "Said he was coming back for active duty tomorrow, too, so maybe we can start going on quests together like you wanted."

"About time!" the boy exclaimed. "When'd you hear that?"

"He was in this morning, talking to Kinana," the girl replied. "He seemed pretty excited about whatever it is he's been working on."

"Any idea what could have taken him three weeks to figure out?" Macao wondered aloud. "I know he's been healed up for at least two- saw him training out by the water when I was headed out of town one day."

"You know how he is," Gray shrugged. "He likes keeping certain things to himself. I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready."

"You're probably right," Yukino nodded. She went to drink some of her water, only to find that her cup was now bone dry. "Hmm?" she mumbled, confused. She was sure that it had been full just a moment ago…

"You okay?" Gray asked her.

"My water just vanished," the girl said with a slight frown. "I could have sworn it was mostly full just a second ago. Have I grabbed the wrong one?" They all checked their cups, but as everyone else had ordered something other than water, they shook their heads as they confirmed that they still had their drinks.

"Weird," Romeo muttered as he eyed the wooden mug suspiciously. "D'ya think someone put a draining spell on it as a joke?"

"Draining spell?" Gray repeated, his eyes narrowing. Standing up abruptly, he turned and shouted at a seemingly random pillar, "Juvia! Give her water back! _Now!_ "

At first, the pillar remained unresponsive, but before too long, the rain woman crept out from behind the wooden support structure, her features sullen. "You're spending all of your time with her, when you and I haven't been together since we came home," she said sulkily as she glowered at Yukino. "Why are you being so cold to me, my love?"

"Because I'm not your love, and I will never be your love," Gray growled, irritated. "And who I spend my time with is none of your business. We aren't involved romantically, Juvia. In fact, if you keep this up, I doubt we'll even be involved as friends." Those words seemed to strike home with the obsessed rain woman, because she stepped away from Gray, a look of horror in her eyes at the thought of not being able to be a part of his life, romantic or otherwise.

"I…" she squeaked out, tears pooling in her eyes. Outside, it began to rain heavily.

"That was pretty harsh, bro, even for you," Romeo said quietly, a mild note of disapproval in his voice.

Gray shot him a look that warned him not to meddle, then turned back to Juvia, whose face was veiled by her hair. "Look, Juvia," he said, allowing a more sympathetic note to enter his voice. "I've tried telling you nicely, time and time again, that I don't like you that way. The problem is, you don't listen to me. You just take it as a challenge to try and win me over harder. But that will never happen- know why?"

"Because of that alien boy that you've become friends with," she said bitterly, her fists shaking. "Ever since he came here, you've become distant from me!" Now some of the other guild members were staring, noticing the argument as it grew louder.

"The only thing Gorun has to do with this is the fact that he showed me that I need more backbone in how I handle this issue," Gray replied swiftly, his voice becoming stern again. "You're the only one making any distance between us, Juvia. Not him, you. The harder you've tried to come at me, the more I've wanted to keep you away altogether. I don't want you in my life as anything more than a comrade and a fellow guild mate. If you're looking for love, you need to find it somewhere else."

"B-But I can-"

"Nothing you do or say will change my mind on this," Gray said firmly, straightening his back as he tossed aside his shirt. "I hope that someday, you find what you're looking for in someone, but it's not gonna be me."

"I… I…" Juvia mumbled, heartbroken. "I only ever wanted you to love me back… everything I ever did, I did… for you… All I wanted…"

"That's too big of an ask," the ice wizard replied, his voice strong. "I love this guild, Juvia, and all the people in it- you included. But I am not _in love_ with you, nor will I ever be."

"Never?" she asked him pitifully, and for a moment, seeing the deplorable state she was in, his heart broke for her. However, he did not allow this to sway his newfound resolve.

"Never," he replied with a note of finality. "I am sorry, Juvia."

Without another word, the blue-haired wizard dashed out of the hall and into the rain, tears streaming from her eyes.

"I'll go talk to her," Lucy said, walking up beside Gray and giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. The young man looked exhausted. "She made friends with Aquarius, so maybe they can help each other out. Hopefully they don't decide to drown us all…" Then she was running after their guild mate, calling out her name as she went.

The ice wizard slumped back into his seat, emotionally drained. "That was a lot harder than I thought it would be," he mumbled.

"As someone whose wife ditched them, let me tell you, kid," Macao said as he clapped his younger comrade on the shoulder. "It's better that it happens now instead of later, after you realize you've made a horrible mistake." Romeo thought about taking a dig at his father, but seeing the looks on his and Gray's faces made him realize that now was not the time for levity.

"Thanks, Macao," the half-naked young man said tiredly.

"At least she didn't flood the guild hall," Yukino commented hesitantly. "I suppose it could have been worse."

"Yeah," Gray replied numbly. "Look, guys, I think I need to go home and lie down for a bit. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he walked away, out of the guild hall, and into the pounding rain that seemed to be getting heavier by the minute.

Not two minutes later did Gorun pop into existence in front of their table with a large grin on his face, and the words, "I finally finished my…! my… Why does everyone look like the king just died?" The smile on his face faded as he spoke, looking at each of his guild mates' somber expressions in turn.

"You just missed the breakup of the decade," Romeo informed him. "Looks like Gray finally got through to Juvia."

"Oh…" Gorun said, paling slightly. "Is that why the rain…?"

"Yeah," Macao nodded. "You certainly left an impression on Gray, kid. I'd watch your back if I were you, unless you want Juvia to put a hole in it."

"No thanks, already been there," Gorun replied quickly. "Look, is Gray alright? I know that couldn't have been easy for him."

"He said he was going home to be alone for a little while," Yukino told him.

"I guess I'll check on him tomorrow if we don't hear from him by lunch," Gorun decided out loud. "We should give him his space, but I also don't want to leave him alone for too long after something like that…"

"What were you about to say when you first showed up?" Romeo asked, trying to break the awkward tension in the air. "You finished something?"

"I did, but I don't know if now is the right time to be showing it off, with everything that just happened," Gorun winced. "Well, the most important thing, anyway, is that I'm ready to come back to work as an active wizard. I was hoping our team could take its first job together tomorrow- I already had Mira set aside a task for us."

"Sweet!" Romeo grinned, all gloominess banished from his bearing. "I've been waiting for this!"

"What kind of job is it?" Yukino asked, preferring this topic to the previous one. She secretly felt a little guilty about the scene of Juvia's heartbreak, since she and Gray were becoming closer companions these days. Of course, she wasn't at fault, but Yukino was a kind-hearted individual who felt responsible for bad things that happened around her.

"There's a big gang terrorizing the port town, Negura," Gorun informed them. "The mayor's asked for an S-class wizard to come deal with the situation, and since you're on my team, I can bring you two and Kinana with me. The payout's supposed to be big, but the catch is that we have to bring the mayor the gang boss, a wizard named Geese."

"Shouldn't be too hard with your instant transmission," Yukino commented. "Why not just go in, grab him, and get out?"

"I could do that, but then somebody else'd just take his place in the gang," Gorun replied with a shrug. "Then the town's in the same trouble it was before. No, I say we go in and show 'em what happens when you get on Fairy Tail's bad side. Although, let's try to keep the collateral damage to a minimum, yeah?"

"All right!" Romeo crowed. "Our first job as a team! I'm all fired up!"

"That's my line!" Natsu shouted from across the hall, but he gave Romeo a big grin and a thumbs-up. "Good luck, little buddy!"

"Thanks!" the younger fire mage grinned back.

"Are you certain you don't want to show us what you've been working on?" Yukino asked her team leader. "You've hardly been around the last few weeks, so it would be nice if we could see you for more than just a few minutes. You also seemed very eager to show us whatever it is that you have."

"I… Yeah, alright," Gorun relented. "Let me go find Kinana, then you'll all get to see the surprise."

"Wait, how many of us are going with you?" Yukino inquired.

"Golden Tail only," the Saiyan boy grinned as he walked away from the table. "Be right back!"

* * *

"Okay, everyone, we're here," Gorun said as he turned around to face the others. "You can open your eyes." They had arrived at the young man's secret project via instant transmission, though not before he'd instructed them all to keep their eyes closed until they got there.

The three members of his team all did as they were invited, then blinked to make sure they were seeing correctly. A comfortable-looking house lay in front of them, set up on a hill overlooking the ocean. It was set on the outskirts of town, far away enough that there was little of the city noises reaching them, but not so far away that it would be a great chore to walk to the guild.

The house itself was mainly white in color, with a blue roof and green trim on the windows. There was a verandah with a porch swing big enough for two people to sit on comfortably. The building looked big enough to hold a bedroom or two, plus a sizeable living room that they could all see through the front window.

"Welcome to my house, everyone," Gorun said with a bright smile, glad that he had been convinced to take them along after all.

"This is what you've been working on for the last few weeks?" Kinana asked, her eyes wide as he moved to hug her from the side.

"Yeah-huh," he nodded. "I bought it a few days after we came back to Magnolia. The rest of the time I've been painting it and moving my furniture over. Plus, I had to buy some new furniture for it since my stuff wouldn't stretch out to the whole thing."

"Awesome!" Romeo grinned.

"You did the paint job yourself?" Yukino asked, looking impressed. "I must say, Gorun, it looks quite nice from the outside."

"I can hardly believe you did all of this on your own," Kinana smiled up at him. "This is a lovely place."

"Well, since the outside meets your approval, would you all like to see the inside?" he asked, to which they all agreed that they would.

Once inside, they were impressed all over again. Polished wooden floors the color of honey greeted their feet, while the walls were white and decorated with various trinkets and mementos of jobs that Gorun had taken over the last year and a half. The living room was already furnished with a couple of couches and a lounge chair next to a lamp, which the others guessed would primarily be used for reading. There was even a fireplace to heat up the room in the colder months.

Off to one side, a short hallway led to a bathroom and guest bedroom. Around the corner in said hallway was the master bedroom, Gorun explained when they started to inspect the guest room, which held a twin-size bed and a chair, plus a shelf full of books. A window on the wall opposite the bed admitted a clear view of the ocean down below them, adding to the welcoming feel of the abode.

The kitchen itself was on the cozy side, but since it opened into the dining room (situated next to the living room) it didn't feel too cramped. The eating area had a wood round table and four chairs of the same material. In this room, there was another window that showed the outside world, this side displaying the woods that bordered the town.

"So…?" Gorun asked with an eager grin on his face. "What do you all think?"

"This is such a wonderful place, Gorun," Kinana said, delighted. "But… how on earthland did you afford it?"

"This place couldn't have been cheap, even if you can take S-class jobs," Romeo pointed out, though he too seemed impressed by the house.

"I have Master Macao to thank for this," Gorun admitted with a sheepish grin. "I used to put in extra money toward helping the guild get out of debt, remember? Well, I guess your dad was keeping tabs on how much I gave to Fairy Tail, because the day after we got back, he came up to me with the old man and handed me a note saying that… a certain amount… had been transferred to my bank from the guild's funds. Master Makarov said that it was my cut of the festival winnings, but I figured out what they were doing."

"How much did you get back from them?" Romeo asked curiously.

"Enough to pay for all this without hurting my own savings too much," Gorun chuckled. "My original plan was to take out a loan and pay it off over the next few years, but I was able to just pay for it all immediately."

"That's amazing, Gorun," Yukino said with a smile. "You have a home to call your own."

"Fairy Tail is my home," he replied with a smile of his own. "But this is a place for our team to call its own, too. Anytime you guys need help from me, my door is open to you. Whether you just need a place to crash for the night, or a friend to talk to, I want this to be the place where we can do that."

"You don't want to share this place with anyone else in the guild?" Kinana asked, a little surprised. "Not even Gray or Natsu?"

"They're great, but I bought this place for us," Gorun replied, looking at Kinana straight in the eye. "I may have them over from time to time for a meal or something to that effect; they're Fairy Tail, but there's only four Golden Tail members. I'm proud to have you three as my teammates, and that's why I want to share this home with you."

"Thank you, Gorun," Yukino said as she wiped a tear from her eye. "This is a beautiful house, made even more so by your offer to turn it into our team's home."

"I'm proud to be Fairy Tail, and I'm just as proud to be on your team," Romeo said as he bumped fists with the older wizard.

"You never cease to amaze me," Kinana said before she kissed Gorun on the cheek. "First you bring new life into our guild, then you raise us back up to our old glory and save the world on the same day. Now that we're ready to go out into the world again, you've made sure that we have a place to come back to, no matter what. Thank you, Gorun, so much." Then she kissed him on the mouth, which he reciprocated happily.

"Do they have to…?" Romeo groaned, causing the others to laugh, and the couple to break up their kiss.

"Okay, okay," Gorun chuckled. Turning to face them all, he said, "I know you all just had dinner, but how does a desert sound? I picked up a cake from the bakery as a housewarming gift to us." The others all expressed their delight in the idea, and before long, the beautiful house was filled with the sound of their little family enjoying their first evening together at home.

* * *

Elsewhere, in a land many miles to the north of Fiore, there was a vast desert where hardly anything grew, and fewer things lived. It was here that there was a brilliant flash of light, followed by a sound of thunder that heralded the arrival of a powerful figure from within the energy storm.

They were slim of build with tanned skin, and their shoulder-length hair was azure in color, matched perfectly by a set of narrow eyes. Their clothing consisted of a blue gi that reflected their hair color, with the kanji symbol for 'turtle' on the back of their uniform.

Their right fist clenched tightly as they growled, "So you really are here… Kaidon…"

* * *

 **Gorun: Who was that?**

 **Mataras: Not saying.**

 **Gorun: It better not be who I think it is.**

 **Mataras: It probably is.**

 **Gorun: NO, ZENO! No, Zeno, please no! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOO!**

 **Saiki: What on earth has him so upset?**

 **Mataras: You're a psychic, figure it out.**

 **Saiki: ...Ah. I can see why he would be so upset.**

 **Gorun: I DID NOTHING TO DESERVE THIS!**

 **Mataras: Eh, he'll get over it... Sometime in the next few weeks, I hope.**

 **Saiki: I do have one question, though...**

 **Mataras: Yes?**

 **Saiki: Who is this 'Kaidon' person?**

 **Mataras: Isn't that obvious?**

 **Saiki: No, and you're blocking my mind-reading, so I appear unable to get an answer out of you through my normal methods.**

 **Gorun: I'M GOING BACK TO THE TIME PATROL AND ERASING YOU FROM EXISTENCE!**

 **Mataras: Pretty sure Chronoa might kill you if you did that. Also, I don't feel like being picked on right now.**

 **Saiki: What happened to you?**

 **Mataras: I had what was supposed to be a minimally invasive surgery go horribly wrong... I could barely walk for about a week. Then other things happened, that, while inconsequential enough on their, compounded to make the last couple of weeks rather... insufferable.**

 **Saiki: Didn't you have a birthday recently?**

 **Mataras: Only highlight of the last few weeks, pal. Well, that and Jump Force.**

 **Gorun: And you deserve every minute of it!**

 **Mataras: Okay, I think we'll move on now. Thanks to our readers for taking the time to view this chapter, I hope to see your comments in the review section, and don't forget to vote for which fusion you wish to see come to life during the Tartaros arc.**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- Eclair.**

 **Gorun: Be sure to come back and watch me turn the Red Swordsman into pulp!**

 **Mataras: Hey come on, I- _OW!_**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

It had been a couple of minutes when Romeo noticed that everything around them was too quiet. There were no children playing in the streets, no women moving about the marketplace, seeking goods for their homes. There wasn't even any sounds coming from the homes themselves.

"Anyone else think it's too quiet around here?" he asked with a frown.

"Nah," Gorun smirked. "That's just the sound of a bunch of thugs thinking that they've got a good ambush going."

"Eh?!" Romeo and Yukino yelped.

"We've been sensing them hiding inside the houses for the last couple of blocks," Kinana informed them. "We're waiting for them to make a move first."

"Any second now…" Gorun said he held up a hand for the others to stop where they were. No sooner than they had did several dozen criminals burst out of the buildings surrounding them, all of them armed and grinning evilly as they cat-called and taunted the group of wizards.

"I suggest not going above two," Gorun muttered to Kinana, who nodded as she understood his meaning. They both used an amplification spell called the Kaioken, which made their energy more difficult to use with precision the more they pushed it. Since they wanted to avoid damaging the town excessively, they would have to limit its use.

In a louder tone, Gorun said, "Oh no, they caught us… what ever will we do?"

"You got a smart mouth, kid," one of the bigger men said as he stepped forward, wielding a large sword. "Let's see if you're so smart when I cut out your tongue!" Raising his sword high, he brought it back down with great force, aiming to split Gorun down the middle.

However, as soon as the blade made contact with him, the boy willed his energy to flare up sharply so that the blade merely shattered against his forehead. The thief stared at his broken weapon, then at Gorun, dumbstruck.

"I accept your surrender," he said with a cheery smile, right before he slapped his attacker in the gut. The bigger man groaned as the air emptied from his lungs and he collapsed in the cobbled stones of the street. Looking up from him, Gorun noticed that all of the other bandits looked decidedly nervous. _Maybe we can get this done without a fight,_ he thought briefly.

"Attention, sewer rats," he announced loudly, making sure that all of them could hear him. "I am Son Gorun of Fairy Tail. You probably saw me compete in the Grand Magic Games, or at least heard about how I bested Jura Neekos, the Wizard Saint. These here are my teammates, come to collect the bounty on your boss' head. Fight us if you want, but do so at the risk of your own health. Turn him over, and I promise that you'll be well-treated by your jailers."

"Like hell we're goin' to jail!" another man shouted, aiming a magic rifle at the boy.

"Hard way it is," Gorun smirked as he took a fighting stance, his comrades doing the same behind him. "Good. Makes this way more fun. Let 'em have it, guys!"


	18. Eclair

**A/N: Happy St. Patrick's Day, people! I am here with a holiday chapter that I sincerely hope you enjoy, because, yes, I am adapting the Phoenix Priestess movie into the main timeline. I considered making it an alternate timeline spin-off story where Gorun and some members of the Time Patrol set out to correct a time breaker's meddling, but I liked the idea of having the events in the film being added to the main story better. Perhaps I'll do that for the Dragon Cry movie...? (Hint hint, wink wink.)**

 **My wife and I have posted our response video to your reviews for the last four chapters on my YouTube channel, and I know that some of you have seen it. However, I'm reasonably confident that some others have not, and so I encourage you to do so, because it gives us a chance to be more personable in our responses to your questions, comments, and concerns (like an explanation for why Gruvia isn't happening in this story). We also give out hints for upcoming chapters and plot devices (and the occasional concept art piece) that I think a lot of you would enjoy.**

 **In any case, enjoy this chapter, in which we finally see Golden Tail in action! If you've seen the film, I hope you like the changes I've made. If you haven't seen it, then get ready for a fresh adventure!**

 **OP Song: Period (cover by Amanda Lee)**

* * *

 _Rival Arc: Chapter 1_

Éclair

"All right, let's do this!" Romeo shouted with his fist pumped up high in the air. His teammates laughed good-naturedly at his exuberance, at which he gave them all a big grin.

His excitement was only to be expected- it was his first time going on such a high-level job, and with a newly formed team, no less. Son Gorun, the Super Saiyan whose power was quickly becoming legendary throughout the land of Fiore was the leader of their troupe. Yukino, a former elite wizard of the Sabertooth guild, was packing the celestial power of three zodiac spirits. Kinana, a part-time barmaid, and Gorun's girlfriend, was the third member of the Golden Tail team. Lastly was Romeo, the youngest member, but quite talented with his fire magic.

Their task today was to confront a gang that had more or less taken over the port town Negura, and more importantly, capture their leader, a slippery wizard known only as 'Geese'.

"Remember, this is the first time in a while that our guild has been invited to this town for a job, so let's try to keep collateral damage to a minimum," Gorun reminded them. "Stay in your pairs, meet at the mayor's office when the dust has settled if we get separated." Before arriving in town, their leader had insisted that they remain at least in groups of two for safety's sake. The pairs were Romeo with Gorun, and Yukino with Kinana.

The other three had been a little surprised with their leader's decision, as they all had expected him to pair himself with his girlfriend. He had shook his head and replied, "Much as I would like that, I'm going to keep the pairings random for the most part whenever we go on a mission. I want us to be able to work well together, no matter how we're matched up. Fluid teamwork is essential in potential life-and-death situations."

After that, the others had accepted his decision with equanimity. Now, they were ready to kick butt and take names.

"So what's the game plan?" Romeo asked eagerly. The group was standing in front of the docks where the ship that had brought them to town was setting anchor and being tied down by her crew. The town itself was built on an upward slant, running up the side of a small mountain that bordered the ocean.

"We need to draw them out in as many numbers as we can," Gorun replied. "Make enough noise that Geese will have to notice."

"You want to confront him while all of his men are there to back him up?" Yukino asked with a frown. "That seems risky."

"Romeo and I can handle the grunts with little trouble," their leader grinned as he gave his partner a fist bump. "I did my homework on these guys. They rule mostly by sheer numbers, not because of any particular skill or high power levels. And I seriously doubt that Geese will try any fighting himself."

"Why's that?" Kinana inquired.

"His profile labels him as a coward," Gorun shrugged. "His magic lets him flatten his entire body to the thickness of a paper sheet. Makes trapping him difficult for the regular authorities, but it's not a magic that'll let you do any real fighting. More than likely, he'll try to make an escape while we're engaged in a brawl."

"What if we miss him, then?" Yukino asked.

In response, Gorun turned to his girlfriend and asked, "How's your energy-sensing coming along?"

"It's nowhere near your skill, but I think I can find him, especially if he's distancing himself from the others," she answered, seeing where he was going. "I'm guessing that you want me and Yukino to act as support until it's time to grab him?"

"Yep," the Saiyan nodded. "I recommend hitting him with a solar flare to disorient him before you go in for the capture. Contract wants him alive, so I don't want you taking any risks of anything going wrong if you can help it."

"Understood," she nodded grimly.

"Yukino, you and your spirits keep any potential backup off of her," Gorun said to the silver-haired girl. "Got it?"

"Yes sir," she answered.

"And Romeo?" he added, turning to his young comrade.

"Yeah?"

"Try not to pull a Natsu," Gorun said with a large smile, which Romeo returned.

"I'll do my best," he answered.

"All I ask. Now, let's go cook us a goose!" Everyone else groaned as they began jogging up the hill, toward the main part of town.

* * *

It had been a couple of minutes when Romeo noticed that everything around them was too quiet. There were no children playing in the streets, no women moving about the marketplace, seeking goods for their homes. There wasn't even any sounds coming from the homes themselves.

"Anyone else think it's too quiet around here?" he asked with a frown.

"Nah," Gorun smirked. "That's just the sound of a bunch of thugs thinking that they've got a good ambush going."

"Eh?!" Romeo and Yukino yelped.

"We've been sensing them hiding inside the houses for the last couple of blocks," Kinana informed them. "We're waiting for them to make a move first."

"Any second now…" Gorun said he held up a hand for the others to stop where they were. No sooner than they had did several dozen criminals burst out of the buildings surrounding them, all of them armed and grinning evilly as they cat-called and taunted the group of wizards.

"I suggest not going above two," Gorun muttered to Kinana, who nodded as she understood his meaning. They both used an amplification spell called the Kaioken, which made their energy more difficult to use with precision the more they pushed it. Since they wanted to avoid damaging the town excessively, they would have to limit its use.

In a louder tone, Gorun said, "Oh no, they caught us… what ever will we do?"

"You got a smart mouth, kid," one of the bigger men said as he stepped forward, wielding a large sword. "Let's see if you're so smart when I cut out your tongue!" Raising his sword high, he brought it back down with great force, aiming to split Gorun down the middle.

However, as soon as the blade made contact with him, the boy willed his energy to flare up sharply so that the blade merely shattered against his forehead. The thief stared at his broken weapon, then at Gorun, dumbstruck.

"I accept your surrender," he said with a cheery smile, right before he slapped his attacker in the gut. The bigger man groaned as the air emptied from his lungs and he collapsed in the cobbled stones of the street. Looking up from him, Gorun noticed that all of the other bandits looked decidedly nervous. _Maybe we can get this done without a fight,_ he thought briefly.

"Attention, sewer rats," he announced loudly, making sure that all of them could hear him. "I am Son Gorun of Fairy Tail. You probably saw me compete in the Grand Magic Games, or at least heard about how I bested Jura Neekos, the Wizard Saint. These here are my teammates, come to collect the bounty on your boss' head. Fight us if you want, but do so at the risk of your own health. Turn him over, and I promise that you'll be well-treated by your jailers."

"Like hell we're goin' to jail!" another man shouted, aiming a magic rifle at the boy.

"Hard way it is," Gorun smirked as he took a fighting stance, his comrades doing the same behind him. "Good. Makes this way more fun. Let 'em have it, guys!"

" _Kaioken!_ " Kinana shouted, a red aura bursting to life around her almost instantly.

"Open! Gate of the Balance: _Libra!_ " Yukino cried, holding the corresponding key above her head. A portal opened before her, and out came the olive-skinned spirit that held the power to alter gravity.

"Cold Flame, scattered shot!" Romeo yelled, holding a blue fireball above his head that he threw forward, splitting it into four individual bolts that struck several men, freezing them where they stood, much to their surprise.

"Nice work!" Gorun said, impressed by his partner's preemptive strike. "Now let's move it!" So saying, he dove into the fray, smashing his fists into anyone who came too close, and blasting those that tried to run with bursts of etherion.

"Libra, pin them down with a gravity change!" Yukino ordered.

"As you wish, my lady," the spirit replied, immediately going to work at pinning at least a dozen men with enough gravitational force to knock them unconscious.

" _Kikoho!_ " Kinana shouted as three men approached her, intent on grabbing her up and hauling her away for slave trade. The crushing energy burst slammed them into the side of a house, cracking the walls a bit, but doing no major damage to the structure.

"Split up!" Gorun ordered as he noticed a half-dozen men making an escape down one of the many alleyways off the main street. "Yukino, Kinana, go after them! Romeo and I can take these losers!" The two girls nodded and took off after the runaways, Kinana pulling ahead a bit due to her ability to fly.

"You're gonna regret that, you-!"

" _Double Sunday!_ " Twin lasers flew from Gorun's hands, blasting two of the men trying to rush him.

"Here comes a big one!" Romeo grinned as he leaped over to be back-to-back with his leader. " _Scorching Masenko!_ " A concentrated beam of fire leaped out of his hands as he held them above his head, then threw them forward. A small explosion torched yet another group of villains as they tried to attack the younger wizard, leaving them a smoking mess on the street. Fortunately, since the road was mostly made of stone, there was little damage done.

Gorun was mostly using his martial arts to take down the enemies that came at him, all too aware that a stray energy blast could level a house if he wasn't careful. Even still, he moved so fast and struck so hard that it was impossible for any of the thugs to block more than one of his attacks.

"Geez, how many of these guys are there?" Romeo grunted as he used a purple fire whip to grab a man by the face and smack him into his comrade.

"Not too many," Gorun replied. "I just hope the girls are getting close to finding Geese. Drawback to this plan is the more time we spend fighting, the more time he has to get away."

"You could've just hit 'em with a Kamehameha and finished this up way sooner," his young partner muttered as he leaped up high and slammed another bandit with a pyro blast that left him out cold.

"Not without blowing away the entire block," Gorun grunted as he axe-kicked a beefy wizard with a stone gauntlet. "Besides, worse comes to worst, I'll just try and get a lock on his energy signature and nab him with instant transmission."

"Got it," Romeo replied as he torched the last man that had tried to run away. "I think that's all of 'em."

"Goodie," Gorun said cheerfully. "Now…" He grabbed up the nearest conscious grunt and held him up by his collar so that they were eye-to-eye. "Where's your boss?" he demanded, his joking manner gone in an instant. He held up a ki ball to punctuate his words.

"I ain't talking," the man spat.

"Translation- he doesn't know," Gorun sighed as he casually tossed him into the street hard enough to crack some of the stone pavement and render his victim insensate. Moving on to the next man, he asked, "How about you? Are you useful?"

"Go to hell," the bandit grunted as he tried to scramble away.

"I'll send you there first, and with company if you don't tell me what I want to know," Gorun said with narrowed eyes as he took in the thug's appearance. He was better dressed than most of them, and he had a chunky gold ring on one hand- not something one would expect a lowly grunt to have. "You look like one of the higher-ups in this sorry bunch, so don't play dumb. You know something."

"Want me to shove a dragon fart flame up his nose?" Romeo grinned savagely as he approached, conjuring a foul-smelling green fireball as he did.

"You heard him, and judging how strong that smell is from here, I wouldn't want it anywhere near my face," Gorun remarked.

"I ain't got anything to tell you," the bandit snarled.

"Now you're just lying," Gorun sighed in annoyance. "I'm only going to ask you one more time before I get angry. And trust me when I say you don't want to see that."

"You really don't, he's terrifying," Romeo nodded emphatically as he allowed the flame to dissipate while he backed up a few paces. "Quick reminder- he's the guy that wasted Minerva from Sabertooth." They saw the man's gaze flicker with uncertainty, but he shook his head in the negative and clamped his mouth shut.

Gorun shrugged and drew his fist back, activating the Kaioken five times over without a word, a raging red aura enveloping him instantly. Just as he was about to throw the punch, a voice got his attention from a nearby rooftop.

"Gorun, we found him!" Kinana shouted as she flew over the town, her eyes fixed on the alleyways bellow her. "Yukino and Pisces are trying to corner him!"

"Saved by the bell," Romeo grinned at the bandit they had captured, who looked decidedly relieved.

"Not quite," Gorun said as he glanced back at the thug, annoyed. Grabbing him with both hands, he swung him round and around a few times at high speed before letting go, effectively slinging him up, over the town, and then down into the ocean some miles out.

"Did'ja have to do that?" Romeo asked as they began running after the girls, Gorun releasing the Kaioken as they did.

"No, but it was really satisfying," the older boy grinned.

* * *

"Geese, just make things easier on all of us and surrender!" Yukino called after the purple-haired, large-nosed man she and her celestial spirits were chasing.

"Sorry miss, I got better things to do than sit in a prison cell!" he laughed back at her. He was about to turn down a narrow alley where the wizard and her monsters wouldn't be able to follow when a laser blast shot down in front of him, causing him to skid to a stop and look upward.

Floating just above the rooftops was an attractive purple-haired girl, her palms aimed at him, a small yellow magic circle hovering in front of her fingertips. "Make another move to escape, and I'll have to blast you," she called down, looking grim. "I don't want to do it, but I will."

"Not to mention that if she doesn't, I certainly will," a boy in a green and blue martial arts uniform added as he leaped into view, followed by a younger boy in a red vest. "What's it going to be, Geese? We've already taken care of all your goons, so there's no backup on the way. And I know you don't have any combat experience, except maybe the odd round of fisticuffs."

Geese weighed his options for a moment. He knew who kid dressed in the gi was from lachryma recordings of the Grand Magic Games, and so knew that he stood no chance of beating him in a direct fight, and his chances of escaping his blinding speed were next to nil. He also recognized Kinana and Yukino from the games, though with less distinction than their leader. He knew there was only one option left where he didn't end up a mass of bruises in a cell.

"All right," he said with a loud sigh. "You win. I'll go quietly." He knew he could always escape a prison cell at a later date, even without his magic. Geese was a crook, but he was a very smart one. He knew his limits and how to work around them when he needed to, just like how he was doing now.

"Excellent choice," Gorun grinned as he leaped down from the rooftop, followed swiftly by Romeo. "Mind tying him up, pal?"

"Sure thing, boss," the fire wizard grinned as he fashioned a rope of purple fire that he used to bind the gang leader's hands with.

"Nice trick, kid," Geese grinned at him. "Doesn't even burn, but I'm guessin' that can change if I try anything funny, right?"

"That's right," the boy answered before turning to his leader. "What now?"

"We haul him and his crew up to the town hall, where they've got cells for guys like him," Gorun answered. "Keep an eye on him while we gather up the rest of his gang. If he tries anything, hit him with a Masenko."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

"I have to admit, I'm impressed," the mayor said as he paced back and forth in his office. "You got most of those crooks behind bars, and you brought in their leader."

"That was the terms of the contract, sir," Gorun replied. "We do our best to uphold the agreements we've made." The other members of his team were standing a little bit behind him while the two of them discussed Golden Tail's success.

"Yes, yes…" the older man nodded distractedly. "Honestly, when I sent out a request for Fairy Tail to handle this, I expected a lot more… well…"

"Destruction, mostly of the explosive variety?" Gorun asked with a thin smile. He didn't like it much when people besmirched his guild's name.

"Yeah, something like that," the mayor admitted.

"I think we'll take our payment and go," Gorun said firmly. "One million jewels for bringing in Geese, alive." His tone brooked no further small talk.

"Yeah, I get it," the mayor grumbled as he went to reach for something inside his desk. Something about the way he moved so reluctantly had the Saiyan boy thinking that perhaps this man had _wanted_ them to fail, so he wouldn't have to dish out the reward that was promised. However, the thought became moot as the mayor handed him a small chest, which he opened to show them the contents.

"One million jewels, as promised," he announced. "Thank you for helping protect my town, Fairy Tail."

At least he sounded grateful to that end, Gorun thought as he accepted the reward with a cursory, "Thank you."

* * *

The train ride home was a relaxed trip, with Gorun deciding to treat his team to first-class seating. They ate and drank well while enjoying a smooth ride, laughing and talking the whole time.

At one point, Romeo asked, "So, how are splitting up the goods?"

"Already thought of that," Gorun answered with a grin. "I'm thinking twenty percent of what we make on each job is a good number, since ten percent has to go to the guild."

"What about the leftover ten percent?" Yukino asked curiously. "Do you have something in mind for that?"

"Matter of fact, I do," Gorun nodded. "I wasn't going to do this without talking to you all first, but I'm thinking of opening a joint bank account for our team. The leftover ten percent can go into that."

"Why do we need a joint savings?" Romeo inquired, a little perplexed by the thought.

"We don't _need_ one," Gorun admitted. "But I'm thinking it would be nice to have some money set aside for our team's expenses. You know, travel fees, equipment, medical bills, et cetera. Instead of dipping into our own pockets for all that stuff, it'd be nice to have an egg nest all ready to go for that."

"I like the idea," Kinana said. "It makes sense to me."

"I agree," Yukino nodded. "It would be nice to know that the money I get from each job is mine, and not have to worry about travelling expenses and the like."

"I guess it makes sense," Romeo admitted. "But you said something about equipment? What kind of equipment would a group of wizards need?"

"Well, say we came across a silver celestial key," Gorun replied quickly. "Instead of Yukino spending her own money, we could just use the money we've got in the joint account. Or if you wanted to expand on your fire magic studies, we could buy you a book with that money. See what I'm getting at now?"

"Yeah," the younger wizard nodded emphatically. "I can get behind that."

"All right, then it's settled," Gorun said with a smile as he leaned back in his seat. "Soon as we get back to Magnolia, let's stop by the bank to get that done. Then we can catch up with the others at the guild hall."

"Hold on a second," Yukino frowned as a thought occurred to her. "Where is the money for this trip coming from? The joint savings?"

"Nah, this one's my treat," Gorun grinned. "Just don't always expect this kind of treatment. I figured since it was our first job together, you all could do with a reward for doing so well."

"Thanks, man," Romeo said with a big grin. "I'll bet not even Natsu's team travels this well!"

"I would agree, though I think that would have more to do with the Salamander's motion sickness than anything," Yukino giggled.

* * *

They arrived back in Magnolia at about noon the following day. They quickly took care of their affairs at the bank, depositing their shares into their own accounts, and then creating the new one for their team, which took a little while. Romeo was snickering as he told Gorun that this one job earned him more money than his dad made in a month on average.

"Make sure you use it wisely," the Saiyan hybrid told his young friend. "Sooner than you think, you'll be a man in your own right, and you'll want your independence. That'll require no small amount of discipline, believe me."

"Got it, I won't waste the cash," Romeo said with a small roll of his eyes. "I'm not a little kid, you know. You've only got five years on me, matter of fact."

"I know," Gorun chuckled. "But it's best to learn from others whenever you can, you know? I was your age, not too long ago as you pointed out, and I know my first impulse would be to go out and buy all the cool stuff I've been looking at in the shops."

"Well, I mean… there is a lachryma-vision I've been wanting for my room," the boy admitted. "It's been outside of dad and my price range the way he'd been getting work before the games, but now I could buy it on my own."

"If that's what you really want, I'm not the one to tell you not to get it," Gorun told him with an understanding smile. "I can only tell you what I think, and let you decide what to do with that."

"Thanks, Gorun," the boy said. "I do appreciate that."

"Anytime, pal."

* * *

"Hey, Gorun, Romeo!" Wakaba called as the new team entered the guild hall. "How was the job? Did'ja get the guy?" Macao turned around to wave at his son as he approached their table. Yukino and Kinana made their way over to a table where Levy, Lisanna, and Bisca were talking over a late lunch.

"You bet we did," the team leader nodded cheerfully. "Romeo here has quite the talent with his fire- he was a big help in keeping Geese contained until we handed him off to the authorities."

"Well, I'll be," Macao said as he gave his son a hug. "I'm proud of you, Romeo."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I need to go see Master," Gorun said apologetically. "Do you know where he's at?"

"Makarov had to go to some big meeting with all the Wizard Saints and the Magic Council," Macao replied. "He left yesterday, didn't really say when he'd be back."

"Oh," Gorun said with a frown. "Who handles the finances when he's out, then?"

"That'd be Mirajane," Wakaba informed him.

"Got it, thanks," Gorun said appreciatively. Clapping Romeo on the back, he said, "Let's take a day off tomorrow, yeah? I'd say we've earned it."

"Thanks, but I might take a smaller job that's here in town," Romeo replied. "I'm still all fired up from our success in Negura."

Gorun chuckled and said, "All right, just don't exhaust yourself. I need my team in top shape for our next group project."

* * *

He found Mirajane at the bar and gave her the remaining money from the job to put into the guild's safe. Once that was done, he turned to Elfman, who was sitting on a stool next to his, and asked, "How're the jobs coming along, big guy?"

"Pretty good," the massive takeover wizard grinned. "A real man doesn't stop 'till he drops, so I've been pretty busy. I'd heard you took some time off, so I was gonna get on you about that. Then Kinana mentioned that you'd actually been busy buying a house and fixing it up. That's pretty manly, thinking about your future and making a home with your own two hands!"

"Thanks," Gorun chuckled.

"I heard it's got a great view," Mirajane remarked. "Will we ever get to see it?"

"Inviting yourself is kinda rude, isn't it?" the boy pointed out, though he maintained his smile.

"Can't blame a girl for being curious," the white-haired young woman grinned back. "If you'd like, you can have dinner at our house sometime so we can call it even."

"That's all right, I was kidding," Gorun laughed. "I'd love to have you two and Lisanna over for dinner one of these days. When works for you guys?" He liked the Strauss siblings, and this seemed as good an opportunity as any to get to know them better.

* * *

"Sound like a plan?" Gorun asked, having explained the idea to Kinana and Lisanna.

"Yeah, I'd love to," the white-haired sibling of Mira and Elfman nodded with a bright smile. "I can see if Mira and I can bring anything in the way of dessert."

"Of course I'd like to join you and the Strauss'," Kinana replied. "What time should I be there to help you get dinner ready?"

"I was thinking dinner around seven, so maybe five-thirty?" Gorun requested. "I appreciate you helping me out."

"Always," the purple-haired girl smiled at him. "Besides, we can't have people getting food poisoning the first time you have guests over for dinner. No one would want to visit you after that."

"Ouch," Gorun said with mock injury. "I dunno what I did to deserve that one."

"You liked the Spirit World cooking better than mine," she sniffed with a smug grin. "You totally earned it."

"Wha-?! I never said I liked it better!"

"You didn't have to- you were too busy stuffing your face to speak, anyway," she giggled at him.

"I wasn't the only one!"

"That makes it better?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"…No?" he replied carefully.

"Took too long to answer," she grinned. "You lied."

"That's not fair!" he cried.

"What's not fair?" a new voice asked.

"Gray!" Gorun said with a large smile as he got up and turned to shake hands with his friend. "How are you? Haven't seen you since the day after… uh, that thing. You still looked kind of down, then."

"I'm doin' better, thanks for asking," the icy wizard replied as he sat down at the table, across from Gorun. "Anyone seen Juvia since all that?"

"I've been out of town the last couple of days," Gorun shrugged. "I haven't see her, though I know Lucy went to check on her."

"I haven't seen her come in since then," Lisanna said with a concerned expression. "I'm worried about her." Gorun recalled that Juvia had been Lisanna's partner for the Tenrou S-class trials, which would explain her evident concern for the rain woman.

"Well, she _did_ just have her heart broken- no offense, Gray," Kinana pointed out.

"None taken."

"That's not something you shake off in a day or two," the purple-haired girl continued. "I'm sure she'll be back in her own time."

"She hasn't been stalking you, has she?" Gorun asked his friend.

"Nah, I've learned to tell whenever she's doing that, more or less," Gray shrugged. "I haven't noticed anything, and I've been paying attention."

"Well, just as long as she isn't about to murder you so no one else gets you, or something like that," Gorun shrugged.

"I'd be more worried about you, man," the ice-make wizard pointed out. "She made it pretty clear that she thinks you're the one to blame for me pushing her away."

"I mean… I guess that's _technically_ true," the other boy winced. "I did tell you to be more direct with her… So, scale of one to ten, how screwed am I?"

"Thirty-eight," Gray chuckled.

"Why am I the whipping dog today?" his friend groaned.

"Reap what you sow, Gorun," Kinana said as she patted his hand affectionately. "Reap what you sow."

* * *

The other members of Team Natsu, minus Lucy, came in shortly after Gray did, looking to take a job with some bigger rewards. Erza greeted Gorun in passing, but was quick to head up to the second floor, where the S-class jobs were posted.

As she left, Gorun called after her, "I saw a job for clearing out a colony of some kind of centipede-type monsters a couple days ago- two million jewel reward. Might be worth checking out if it's still there." As an S-class mage, he was privy to the most dangerous- and lucrative- jobs available, just like Laxus, Mirajane, Gildarts, and Erza.

"I'll do that, thanks," she said with a smile as she headed up the stairs.

"I can't see Lucy or Wendy doing very well with that," Kinana pointed out.

"Well, I would've signed us up for it, but I figured we should start Romeo off with something a little easier," Gorun shrugged. "Plus, they have a few more members than we do, so they need jobs with a little more in the way of rewards."

"Thanks for the thought," Gray said with an appreciative smile. "I'm good on money right now, but I know Lucy worries about her rent all the time, so she could do with that kinda cash."

"Hold on, isn't that her coming in now?" Yukino asked, looking toward the entrance to the guild hall, and causing the others to turn around and do the same.

"Who's that with her?" Gray asked as he noticed that there was someone leaning heavily on the blond girl.

"Can I get a hand here?!" Lucy grunted as she came into the building. "I'm not built for this kind of stuff!"

"Coming!" Gorun called back as he leaped out of his seat and landed next to his comrade. "Here, I got her," he added as he could now see that it was an unconscious young woman that Lucy was carrying. He reached over and slipped the insensate woman's right arm around his shoulders and took the burden from Lucy, who sighed with relief.

"You know her?" he asked as he studied the girl.

"Never seen her before today," Lucy answered. "I was on my way home when she collapsed on the street. I didn't know what was wrong with her, so I decided to bring her here."

The woman was young, as Gorun had noticed before, no older than himself. She was remarkably beautiful, with long brown hair that fell well past her waistline, which she kept tied back. Her face was round with slender eyebrows, a small, pointed chin, and a small mouth that was locked in a grimace. Her clothing looked like something Wendy's people, the Nirvites, would have made in days past, consisting of a long pink skirt and a shawl that left one shoulder bare, also pink, though with a yellow trim. On her arms were a few golden bracelets, and a necklace was worn around her neck, though whatever adornments it might have were hidden underneath her top. For all her beauty and fine garments, though, she seemed unnaturally thin, as if she hadn't eaten properly for some time.

"Can you help her?!" a worried voice asked from behind Lucy, the owner quickly coming into view. Gorun's head snapped up to see a yellow bird-like creature, whose head was way too big for the rest of its body. "Please help Éclair!" it begged him.

"Don't worry, little guy," he said reassuringly, unfazed by the fact that a weird bird was talking to him. "She's in good hands, I promise." Using his senses, he felt for her life energy and immediately encountered something strange.

She seemed exhausted, but her power level was stronger than he expected it to be, given that she seemed rather malnourished. Not only that, the energy he was sensing seemed… off somehow. It was familiar in a way, yet he couldn't recognize how. He knew it was going to drive him crazy until he remembered why the power emanating from her seemed familiar, but right now he had more pressing matters.

"Let's get Wendy to heal her up enough to wake up, then get her some food," he said as he began taking her to the table where he and the others had been talking. "I think she's just exhausted and in need of a good meal." Already, Kinana and the others were moving to help him take care of this new girl.

* * *

The young woman- Éclair, as her avian friend had explained- ate the meal she was offered quietly, with hardly a word to anyone, though she did give Mirajane a polite thanks when she was given the stew she was slowly working through. However, she said nothing to Wendy, who was responsible for bringing her back to consciousness, which irked Gorun a little bit.

 _Rude,_ he had thought, then decided she could be forgiven a lapse in manners, seeing as she had just come out of a fainting spell. However, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that he got whenever he sensed her energy, like he knew it from somewhere, or at least something very similar to it.

"Gorun, should I be worried?" Kinana's voice startled him a bit, causing him to jerk upright in his seat and look over at his girlfriend in surprise.

"Huh?" he said blankly.

"You've been staring at Éclair for the last ten minutes," she pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "It's honestly starting to bother me a bit." The two of them were sitting in a booth opposite of Éclair's, along with Gray, Erza, and Yukino

"Sorry!" he said swiftly. "I didn't mean to stare at her, I swear. Just… something about her energy seems off to me. Like I've felt something very similar to it before."

"From your days in the Time Patrol, or on a job here?" the girl asked, now more curious than annoyed.

"Time Patrol, I think," Gorun replied with a frown. "Does anything about her feel off to you?"

"Not that I can tell," Kinana answered. "Why? What about her energy feels strange?"

"Perhaps it's her magic," Erza suggested. "You've travelled far and wide, Gorun, but I doubt you've encountered every magic that this world has to offer. Perhaps she simply possesses a magic that is similar to a power you were already familiar with."

"If it was, it'd have to be etherion-based," the Saiyan replied with a negative shake of his head. "Funny thing is, I don't think she practices magic. She has the potential, but it's largely untapped. No, the weird part is how constant it is."

"Constant?' Gray inquired. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Normally people's energy levels fluctuate according to how tired or healthy they are," Gorun explained. "Sometimes if emotions are strong enough, that can alter their power levels, too. But hers' has remained at the exact same level this entire time. From when she was unconscious to when she woke up and has been able to eat, there has been absolutely no change to her energy level."

"So is she dangerous?" Yukino inquired warily.

"I don't know, which honestly has me more concerned," he admitted. "I don't sense any malice from her, though, which does help a little."

"And that little bird thing is so sweet, I can hardly see him being a threat to anybody," Erza said with an adoring smile as she looked over at the yellow bird in overalls.

"Looks can be deceiving, but in this case, I'm inclined to agree with you," Gorun said with a small grin of his own. "Either way, we're Fairy Tail. Pretty sure we can handle just about any surprise that comes our way."

"Unless Lord Beerus decides to come back for a visit like you said he might," Kinana pointed out, causing Gorun to seize up and sweat rapidly.

"Please don't remind me of that," he said tightly. "That guy is the stuff of nightmares."

"Who's this?" Gray asked.

"Remember how I mentioned that my grandmother took Lucy to the Time Patrol?" Gorun asked. When Gray nodded an affirmative, his friend continued, "Beerus is a god of destruction- one of the strongest out there, too. Normally he's pretty lazy, but every fifty years or so, he goes on a rampage, destroying any place where the inhabitants annoy him even a little."

"Define 'little annoyance," Erza requested with a raised eyebrow.

"He blew up a planet because the dinosaurs there made too much of a fuss about him turning one of them into steak," Gorun deadpanned. He said it with such a straight face that for a moment the others thought he was joking.

"Surely you're kidding, right?" Yukino laughed, though she did sound a bit nervous. "He wouldn't destroy an entire world just over a bad dinner?"

"He once blew up an entire solar system because somebody looked at him the wrong way," her leader replied, his tone still flat. "Seriously, if he ever comes back, I'm going to have to teleport Natsu over to Stella to keep him from wiping this world off the galactic map."

"I guess if anyone's gonna get us all killed, it'd be that idiot," Gray said with a malicious smirk.

"I dunno, Beerus might take offense to someone stripping in front of him," Gorun pointed out, noting that the ice-make wizard's shirt and pants had gone missing again.

"How does this keep happening?!" the boy fumed, stomping away to look for the missing garments.

Gorun raised his eyebrows as he noticed Yukino blushing heavily at the sight of the half-naked Gray. "Please don't start pulling a Juvia," he begged her. "I can only handle- no, wait, I can't even handle one of her." Silently, he was laughing himself silly. Yukino was not aware of Gray's bizarre habit, and now it was funny to see someone else witness it for the first time.

"W-What?!" the silver-haired girl stammered. "I-I-I wasn't-"

"Yo, I'm Natsu Dragneel!" Whatever Yukino had been about to say was interrupted by Natsu's loud voice cutting across the guild hall as he introduced himself to Éclair with a big, friendly smile. However, all she did was stare at his offered hand, then stand up to leave without a word.

 _Okay, so she is just rude,_ Gorun thought with a frown. _Fine, good riddance. We don't need ungrateful guests._

"You're going to the Boundary Forest, aren't you?" The unexpected question came from Carla, who took a few steps to follow the young woman, who stopped in her tracks and looked back at the white exceed with some surprise.

"The Boundary Forest…" she murmured, her voice soft and a bit low-pitched. "Yes, that sounds right. Something there… There's something I have to do."

"I wouldn't go if I were you," Carla warned her before she could turn to leave. "Only sadness and danger await you."

"Someone wanna tell me what Carla's going on about?" Gorun muttered in aside to his friends. "Is she just that pessimistic, or what?" He hadn't spent a lot of time with the white cat, admittedly, but she did seem to be the pragmatic type.

"Carla has clairvoyance," Gray replied as he walked back up, fully clothed. "Let's her see into the future, but she can't fully control it. She'll get random visions from time to time." Gorun nodded, a little perturbed at the thought of yet another magic breaking the rules of time, but then remembered that it wasn't his job to be concerned with such things anymore.

 _I guess I was more Time Patroller than I realized,_ he thought wryly.

"Where I go is none of your business," Éclair replied a little snappily, then made to walk away, leaving more than a few frowning faces behind her.

"I'm so sorry about her," the bird said apologetically as he hovered in front of the group. "I try to remind her to have good manners, but I promise she's a good person!"

"Coulda fooled me," Gorun muttered.

The little bird turned to speak to him, but just then Éclair called back, "Come, Momon." The yellow creature shrugged- as much as a bird flapping his wings could shrug, anyway- and flew off to follow his friend.

As soon as she was out the door, Lucy stood up and started after her.

"Are you serious?" Gorun asked before she could make it five feet.

"Huh?" the blond girl asked as she turned back to face him.

In response, he stood up and walked over to her, saying, "You just met the same person as the rest of us, right? She clearly didn't want to be here. I get the feeling that she doesn't like Fairy Tail for some reason."

"But she's clearly about to go to that forest, and it'll be really dangerous!" Lucy protested.

"She's right," Erza agreed as she approached with Gray, Natsu, and Happy in tow. "Even S-class wizards hardly go to that forest due to the high concentration of deadly monsters within its boundaries."

"Well then we have to go help her!" Wendy exclaimed as she got up from where had been sitting. "She could get killed out there on her own!"

"I agree," Erza nodded. "Regardless of whether or not she wishes for our company, we should help her nonetheless. If we were to let her run into lethal danger, how can we call ourselves good wizards?"

"You are all just determined to make friends with every enemy you come across, aren't you?" Gorun remarked.

"We don't do that every time!" Natsu shot back. "And she's not an enemy! At least, I don't think…"

"Gajeel, Juvia, Jellal, Laxus, Hoteye, I can keep going," Gorun said dryly.

"Laxus was already part of the guild!" Happy shouted.

"Gorun, just let it go," Kinana said as she lay a hand on his shoulder. "You know you want to go with them."

"…Why?"

"Because you still haven't figured out why her energy bothers you so much," she grinned.

"I can live with that mystery," he shrugged. Then he sagged and muttered, "Dammit, no I can't. Fine, I'll go with them. You coming too?"

"I go where you go," she said with a sweet smile and a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks," he grinned, feeling a little better about the situation now. Turning to look at his other teammate, he asked, "How about you, Yukino?"

"If you're both going, I don't mind tagging along," she smiled. "Even if this is a charity job, we made enough jewel on our last mission to hold me over for a while."

"Guess I should go get Romeo, then," Gorun sighed. The boy and his father had gone home to celebrate the boy's first big success as a wizard.

"Are you sure he'll come?" Kinana asked.

"Are you kidding?" Gorun chuckled. "He'd kill me if we went without him. I said we were going to take the day off tomorrow, and he said he'd rather take on some small jobs because he was still hyped up from Negura."

* * *

"I see why Natsu's team never wastes their money on first class," Romeo said as he eyed the dragon slayer's face, which was currently twisted from nausea.

"Why, cos no trip would be enjoyable with that puke-bucket?" Gray commented dryly. He, Romeo, Gorun, and Kinana were in one compartment of the train they were riding, while Lucy, Éclair, Momon, Happy and Natsu were in the one across from them. Yukino, Erza, Carla, and Wendy were in the seating area ahead of them.

"No way, are you kidding?" Romeo sniggered in response to Gray's question. "How do you ever get bored on trips? He's hilarious!" Glancing over at Natsu, who leaned out the window to expel his breakfast, he started laughing again.

"Trust me, it gets old, real fast," the ice wizard replied with a wry tone.

"Be nice, Romeo," Kinana scolded the boy. "You wouldn't want somebody laughing at you if you were in his shoes."

"But I'm not, so I can," he replied with another cheeky grin.

"I'll drop you in a pit full of Vulcans," Gorun said warningly.

Romeo seized up, paling rapidly. "S-Sorry, guys," he said mildly.

Gray noticed the exchange, and the smug smile that Gorun was directing at his younger comrade, so he felt compelled to ask, "What's this about Vulcans?"

"Everyone has a weakness of some kind," Gorun replied with a shrug. "Natsu has vehicles. Wendy has pickled plums. Erza gets stage fright, apparently. You even have an aversion to clothes."

"Aw, crap!" Gray shouted as he realized that he had just tossed his shirt out the window.

"For Romeo, it's Vulcans," Kinana explained. "He won't go near one, even if they're way weaker than he is."

"Th-They're creepy!" the boy stammered with a red face. "They possess people and try to keep them as slaves until they die!"

"Not so funny now, is it?" Gorun said pointedly.

"All right, I get it!" the boy said sullenly. "It's not fair, you know."

"What's that?" the Saiyan asked curiously.

"You know everyone else's weak spot, but none of us know yours," Romeo pointed out. "If you know our weaknesses, we should know yours."

"Well, I'd say now that it's Lord Beerus," Gorun shrugged. "But I seriously doubt that he's going to remember ever meeting me."

"Why's that?" Gray asked.

"The guy has apparently lived for billions of years," Kinana replied. "He forgets encounters pretty quickly because he's had so many of them, right?" She looked to her boyfriend for confirmation, whereupon he nodded the affirmative.

"The only thing that really worries me about my meeting with him was that he said I reminded him of Goku and Vegeta," the boy admitted. "Those two have held his attention for a lot longer than anyone else ever has before. Then again, he'll probably just assume that he met up with them the next time that he wakes up."

"So then what were you afraid of before him?" Gray inquired. "I gotta admit, I'm curious now, too."

"I don't have a problem telling you, mostly because it doesn't affect me now," Gorun replied flippantly. "There was a time patroller that I knew before I came here. Unlike me, she always took great pride in her Saiyan heritage, and aimed to excel at every course she took, every mission she was sent on. Many people in the organization thought highly of her, but it was never enough."

"Why not?" Kinana asked, this being news to her as well.

"No matter how hard she trained, or how many missions she went on, she was always outshone by another Saiyan time patroller," he replied quietly. "She hated him because even though he never gave as much effort to the job as she did, he was always the one people noticed more, and being the one with the higher power level didn't really help matters."

"You?" Romeo guessed.

"Yup," Gorun nodded. "I was the one. Her name was Azura. Human-Saiyan hybrid just like me. Well, actually, I guess not just like me, since I've got the kai genes, but other than that… Oh, and I have a tail, she doesn't. Anyways, the point is, she was never able to best me."

"So then why were you so afraid of her?" Romeo asked.

"Ever had a Super Saiyan challenge you to a fight?" Gorun replied flatly. "Trust me, angry girls are one thing. Multiply their power by fifty, and throw in over a decade of training with some of the multiverse's strongest fighters, and you're looking at some serious hospital time, even if you win."

"Did you guys ever fight?" Gray interjected. "Who won?"

"I never gave her the chance to properly fight me," his friend snorted. "Are you kidding? We might have ended up destroying the Time Nest, or whatever planet we fought on. We did sparring matches as kids, but after we started getting older and more powerful, I didn't want to have that on either of our heads."

"Would you have won?" Gray persisted. He seemed very interested to know who truly was the mightier of them, the etherion wizard thought.

"Yeah," Gorun nodded swiftly. "She was always training harder than me, and if not for my tail- and divine heritage, I guess- she would've had me dead to rights. However, I'm no slouch when it comes to training, either, and I am naturally stronger than her. Still, like I said before… she'd make me pay for it."

* * *

"Oh, great," Gorun said sarcastically, not bothering to keep his voice down. "She doesn't just hate Fairy Tail- she hates wizards in general. Seriously, why are we helping her?"

"I didn't ask you to come with me," Éclair called over her shoulder, annoyed. Apparently she had revealed to Lucy during the trip that she hated magic, and those that used it by association. "Go home, leave me be."

"I want to, but my girlfriend and code of ethics won't let me," Gorun grumbled as the combined teams trekked through the city called Rose Garden. All around them were lively displays of magic, from food vendors, to bubbles that changed color and multiplied whenever they were touched, even magic carpets. The city seemed to have it all.

The whole sight only seemed to make Éclair even more ill-tempered, but most of them just ignored her, save for Lucy, who seemed determined to befriend the unfriendly girl, though even she was starting to look a little bugged with her.

"Thank you for coming with us!" Momon said happily, either ignoring the tense atmosphere, or simply being unaware of it. "It's been a long time since we've had anyone to talk to other than each other!"

"Gee, I wonder why," Lucy muttered. Apparently Éclair's annoyance had been primarily directed at Lucy during the trip, though Natsu spending the entire time being nearly unconscious or nearly sick all over them the whole way might have had something to do with that.

"What's the plan here?" Gorun asked Erza, since she usually took care of booking travel plans for Natsu's team.

"I've made reservations for your team and ours at a place called Hills Hotel," the red-head answered. "We'll be sharing two per room, with the exceptions of Happy, Carla, and Momon, who can stay with whoever they choose."

"Great, I'll be happy to reimburse you for the rooms my team will be taking," Gorun said appreciatively. "Thanks for doing that."

"It's no trouble at all, and I do take payment in the form of cakes!" the S-class girl replied with a bright smile.

"Er… Okay?" Gorun said. "Any kind of cake in particular?"

"Yes… anything vanilla with a strawberry topping!" she all but swooned.

"Is she okay?" the Saiyan asked in a hushed voice to Lucy.

"Just go with it," the blond girl replied. "The alternative is finding out what happens when Erza is deprived of cake."

"Scale of one to Acnologia, how bad are we talking?"

"Master Hades."

"Well, I know what I'm shopping for, then," Gorun sighed heavily.

* * *

The tavern was dark, and none too clean, but that didn't bother Dyst. He and his Carbuncle guild were currently enjoying some pre-celebratory drinks in the taproom of some rundown pub in the city-state of Veronica.

"Four hundred million jewel for the capture of some peasant and her necklace?" Coordinator, a blond requip wizard, scoffed. "This job is too good to be true." She was referring to Duke Cream, the young, arrogant ruler of the province, who had hired their assassin's guild for the seemingly trivial task of tracking down a young woman and wresting a prized necklace from her.

"If you ask me, that Duke's got more money than brains, but I'll be happy to take some of it off his hands," Cannon, a beefy gun's mage, chortled as he knocked back another shot of whisky.

"Hmm, common sense or not, we have a job to do," Dyst, a man with long pale blue hair, murmured. "Chase, go find the girl. Bring her back if possible. If not, rendezvous with us at the border."

The final member of their quartet, a masked man wearing a black cloak that revealed none of his features, stood up with a nod toward his leader, then left the room without a word. As he did, his comrades raised their glasses together in a toast to their imminent success.

He had just left the building when he was suddenly grabbed by the scruff of the neck and slammed into a brick wall hard enough to crack the point of impact in the likeness of a spider's web. As a shadow mage used to doing the surprise attacks, and not being on the receiving end of such tactics, Chase could only groan as the air emptied from his lungs and stars swam in front of his eyes.

As he tried to focus his eyes on the person that was gripping him by the collar, he could only make out a blurry image of someone dressed in blue and white. "Who…?" he mumbled thickly.

"Pull yourself together," a low-pitched woman's voice snapped. "I didn't hit you hard enough for you to be this out of it. From what I could gather, you're supposed to be some kind of assassin mage, yeah? Sheesh, learn how to take a hit."

"Whoever you are, you will regret laying hands on a member of Carbuncle," Chase growled, finally having regained enough control over his senses to see clearly through the eyes of his mask.

The person holding him was a girl no older than eighteen, if even that. Her clothing consisted of a blue-and-white gi, her shoulder-length hair and narrow eyes were an azure blue. She was on the shorter side, pretty enough, and most noticeably, radiating massive amounts of magic power.

"No, I don't think I will," the girl replied with a cold smile as she yanked him to be face-to-mask. "And if you try any of that shadow magic crap, I'll blow you into so many pieces, they'll be cleaning you off the streets for months."

So she knew what kind of magic he used, and presumably the kinds that his comrades practiced as well. The girl had done her homework, and with the dangerous look in her eyes, coupled with the amount of energy he was sensing, he didn't doubt for a second that she could make good on her threat.

Still, he wasn't a part of a renowned assassin's guild for nothing. Assassins had to be primarily good at two things, the first of course being the ability to commit a murder and escape without being noticed. The second skill to master was knowing how to get out of a sticky situation, should it look as though capture was imminent.

"What do you want?" he finally demanded. "Will money be enough for you to release your grip, or are you one of those with a different sort of price?"

"Not everyone can be bought, scum," the girl replied, holding up her free hand next to his neck. From her fingertips, a pale blue magic circle flashed into existence for a split second, then out shot a blue energy blade, translucent, and razor-sharp. "But those that are quick to offer a price can often be outbid with relative ease."

"You have a counteroffer?" Chase asked, intrigued, though still angry at himself and her for being caught. "If you wanted to hire my guild, capturing me is not the best way to begin negotiations."

The blade moved with a twitch of her fingers so that it just nicked his neck through the cloak hard enough to draw a slow trickle of blood.

"There will be no negotiating," she said slowly. "You and your little band will do exactly as I say, or I will cut you all down so fast you won't even have time to wonder why you are suddenly looking up at your headless body from a pool of your own blood. Am I clear?"

Chase was not a man to cave into an outsider's demands so easily, but the cutting energy at his neck and the icy glare from the young woman were difficult to ignore. Finally he said, "If you will suffer the question once more, then… What do you want?"

"I need your group to track somebody down, and bring me to him," the girl replied with a satisfied nod as she removed the energy projection from its current position, though she only moved the blade just enough for it to stop cutting into his flesh.

"Why not simply have us bring him to you?" Chase replied, his eyes never leaving hers'.

The blue-eyed girl laughed harshly before saying, "If you were brought down this easily by me, not even an army of people like you and your friends could bring him down. No, you'll find him, report back to me, then take me to him, whereupon I'll deal with him myself."

"I need a name," the assassin said flatly.

"He'll be travelling under a false identity," she responded swiftly. "More than likely, the alias he will use is 'Son Gorun."

* * *

The Fairy Tail wizards spent the afternoon wandering the city, mostly in groups of two or three. Natsu, Romeo, and Happy were headed for some fine dining when Gorun last saw them, while Wendy and Carla were headed for a series of carnival-looking stalls. Gray seemed content to wander off on his own, and Erza declared that she was going dress shopping with Yukino, who tried to protest, and failed. Éclair tried to get away from Lucy, but the blond wizard insisted that she be accompanied by at least one of their guild members, so they wound up being a trio with Momon.

All of which left Gorun and Kinana to mill around the city, looking at the sights and waving to people that passed them in the air on magic carpets. There was one bad moment when a little boy tried to fly without the magic vehicle after seeing them hovering in the air, but Gorun's swift reflexes saved him.

"Sorry, kiddo, but you gotta do a lot of training before you can take off the training wheels," he said with an encouraging grin as he deposited the frightened child back into the arms of his grateful father.

"Thank you, sir!" the man said, bowing as far as he could from his seated position. "I'm so glad you were here. If you hadn't-"

"If I weren't here, he probably wouldn't have tried to fly on his own," Gorun laughed ruefully. "I'm sorry to have interrupted your afternoon, sir."

"No, no, don't apologize!" the man insisted. "Please, accept the apologies and thanks of an absent-minded father."

"We're glad to have helped, sir," Kinana said with her brightest smile. Waving goodbye to the pair, the couple flew away, landing in the middle of a shopping district a few minutes later.

"Anything look good here?" he asked her, more than content to let her pick out their next destination.

"I dunno… that looks pretty interesting," she said, pointing at a bridal shop. Gorun nearly had a heart attack before he realized that she was pointing at one window in particular. …A window through which Erza could be seen, purchasing a white bridal gown while Yukino looked on in a mixture of shock and bewilderment.

"What's the story there, I wonder?" Kinana was saying, before she noticed that Gorun was leaning over a rail, looking like Natsu did whenever he got on a train. "Uh… Gorun? Are you okay?"

 _I swear Grand Zeno just likes to toy with me!_ He shouted in his head. However, outwardly, all he could manage to wheeze out was, "Too soon… Not ready… Don't even have the ring…"

"Gorun?" Kinana asked as she poked his shoulder, unable to hear his mutterings clearly. However, she startled him so badly in his keyed-up state that he let out a sharp yelp, and shot about fifty meters in the air, where he stayed put, muttering nonsensically to himself.

"Is Mister Gorun okay?" Kinana was surprised to see Wendy and Carla approaching, the little girl looking concerned for the young man.

"I'm not sure," Kinana said with a worried frown as she looked up at her boyfriend. "The whole afternoon, he's been himself, but as soon as I pointed out Erza in that bridal… shop… Oh dear." Her face turned redder than Natsu's guild tattoo in less than a second as she realized what had startled him so much.

"He's scared of Erza getting a wedding dress?" Wendy asked, confused. "I thought it was weird, but it doesn't scare me."

"No, child," Carla sighed, having already put the pieces together. "He's afraid that _Kinana_ wants to go in there. It would seem that he's not ready for the next step in their relationship just yet."

"Oh!" Wendy said with a slight blush. "Wait, does Mister Gorun not want to get married to you, Miss Kinana?"

"I, uh…" the poor girl stammered. "I don't know! I mean, we only started dating a few months ago, but we wound kind of skipping three of those months, so to us it's only been a few weeks, really, and I don't even know if I'd be ready to…"

As she kept rambling on, Carla gave Wendy a stern look. "It's rude to ask about such personal matters, Wendy," she scolded her dragon slayer. "Look at what you've done to the poor girl!"

"Sorry!" Wendy said, flushing an even deeper shade of red that nearly matched Kinana's face. "I didn't mean to get into your private business!"

"I-It's fine," Kinana managed to respond, having regained a little composure. Up above, Gorun was apparently still muttering to himself, thoroughly rattled by the whole matter. "I'm m-more worried about him at th-this point. I d-don't think even the Eclipse Gate threw him off so badly."

"Are you alright, Kinana?" Carla asked the young woman.

"I'll be okay," she said with a shaky grin. "The funny thing is, when I saw Erza in there, I couldn't help but think that some of those dresses do look very nice… Maybe someday…" He voice trailed off as her smile grew a little, imagining a sunny day, where the stain-glass windows of Magnolia's Cathedral would admit a cacophony of colors into the building, and the entire guild turned out to celebrate what would be the happiest day of her and Gorun's life. A priest would perform the ceremony, Yukino would likely be her Maid of Honor, and she could just see Natsu and Gray fighting over who would get to be Gorun's best friend on his wedding day-

"Ack!" she squealed as she realized that she had nearly pulled a Juvia.

"Kinana, are you alright?" She recognized Yukino's voice as she approached behind Erza, who was smiling contentedly.

"You look like you could use some good tea and cake," the redhead said as they came to stand in front of her, Wendy, and Carla. "The hotel isn't far from here, and I'm sure our rooms will be ready soon if you feel the need to retire."

"I think that sounds like a good idea," Kinana admitted gratefully. "Sorry, Yukino, I just had a… weird moment."

"Weird?" the silver-haired girl inquired politely. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Once we've settled into the hotel, yes," Kinana nodded emphatically.

"Hold on, wasn't Gorun with you?" Erza asked with a frown as she glanced around, failing to see the blue-and-green clad Saiyan.

In response, Carla pointed upward, where Gorun was now pacing back and forth in midair, still muttering something to himself. "Er…" Yukino wondered, bewildered yet again by her new guild's strange members.

"Is he all right?" Erza asked worriedly.

"I'll get him down," Carla sighed as she flew up to meet the boy in midair.

* * *

She met the young man about thirty feet above the ground, ready to give him a scolding for worrying his teammates and girlfriend, but before she could, he muttered in an undertone, "I heard the whole thing." He tapped his right ear unobtrusively. "One of the perks of my Saiyan heritage is the sensitive ears."

"Then why-?"

"I don't want her knowing that I heard about her eyeballing the dresses," Gorun cut her off with a faint grin. "I'm up here because if I was down there, I'd be getting down on one knee right now, and I'd rather have a ring and time to plan something special before I do that."

"You-!"

"Shh!" he said fiercely, finally straightening himself up and looking directly at the white cat. "Like I said, I don't want her knowing that I heard all of that! Look, I was kind of unsure about how she would feel if I popped the question this early in our dating relationship, so I wanted more time to feel the situation out. Now, thanks to this little debacle, I have an answer. But I still want to surprise her, so please, don't let her know that I know."

"I… don't even know what's going on anymore," Carla admitted with a shake of her head. "All I can say is that humans seem to excel at complicating what should be simple matters."

"Yeah, this is one area where I wish I could be more Saiyan-like," Gorun admitted. "I'm not very good at putting my heart on the line- definitely my human side."

"So if I am understanding you correctly, you _do_ wish to marry the girl?" Carla asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep."

"And you don't wish for me to reveal your plan?"

"That, and the fact that I now know she wants to get married to me someday," Gorun said with a bright smile. "I'd really appreciate it."

"Very well, but you'd better have a good excuse ready for when we go down there," Carla warned him.

"That's easy- you've just been telling me that it was Erza being weird that caused this whole thing," the boy said cheerfully.

"I am _not_ saying that about Erza!"

* * *

 **Mataras: So here you go- an extra chapter for (more or less) the middle of the month.**

 **Saiki: Is there a particular reason that you chose to adapt this movie into the timeline, but do not plan to do so for the second film?**

 **Mataras: This film was really quite easy to adjust, because honestly, I could have seen it easily being a filler arc for the anime after the Games. the only continuity error I noticed was that Elfman was not as muscular as he should have been if the movie occurred post-Dragon King Festival. Also, I felt as though the phoenix had potential to become a great threat, and was killed off too easily.**

 **Saiki: Anything else?**

 **Mataras: ...I found this to be a prime opportunity to introduce a comparable rival to Gorun. I'm certain that many of you can guess who the girl in blue is, but we'll come to find some very interesting things about her in the coming chapters, specifically about her relationship to our resident Saiyan.**

 **Gorun: You're lucky you've got the plot armor of being the author. I'm still not happy about this.**

 **Mataras: Noted. On the whole, this chapter was more or less a set up for the next arc, in addition to getting some more character development between Gorun and Romeo in particular.**

 **Saiki: It seems that the new team dynamic works well enough, and the two of them get on famously.**

 **Mataras: Remember, they were both members of the guild during the time that the Tenrou Team was out, so they do know one another fairly well from that period.**

 **Gorun: True. Now when can we expect my torment to continue?**

 **Mataras: Quit being a baby, you'll be fine. Coming early April, 2019- Dark Blades in the Heart.**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"Where'd he go?!" Gray demanded, looking over at Gorun, whose face was hardened with concentration.

"I don't know," the young man muttered after a few seconds. "Whoever that was, he's more skilled than I gave him credit for. The instant that his shadow magic came into effect, he drastically lowered his power level. I can't find him amidst all the civilians down there now."

"Couldn't you tell where Rogue was whenever he did that?" Gray pressed, surprised to see his friend come up short like this. He was used to Gorun achieving success after success, not admitting defeat so readily.

"Rogue wasn't as skilled at concealing his presence," Gorun explained. "And even my powers have their limits."

"So we can't follow him?" the ice mage asked disappointedly.

"I can't even pick up a scent," Natsu added as he turned to face them. "Weird. Wonder why he was after two birds?" Before anyone could stop him, he yelled, "Oh crap! He must've been after that weird bird guy Elaine had with her! We gotta go find them!" With that, he leaped off the rooftop and began running back the way they had come.

"Stupid as he is, he brings up a good question," Gray said with a frown as he placed a hand on Gorun's shoulder to prepare for instant transmission. "What was that guy after? And what 'two birds' was he talking about?"

"Knowing our luck, I wager we'll be finding out real soon," Gorun said grimly.


	19. Dark Blades in the Heart

**A/N: Wow, I've been working on this for a year now? It doesn't seem like it's been that long, but nineteen chapters and lots of crazy developments in the last twelve months say otherwise. Since I began posting for this story, I've become a dad, had cancer removed, won a lawsuit, moved twice, and a lot of other things besides... Where did a year go?!**

 **Just to let you guys know, I have dropped the two last-place contenders for the fusion vote, and have set up a new one with the two that had been tied for first for some time. The rules have changed a little bit this time, though. First, it will be a blind vote, as to avoid any bias one way or another. Also, since there are only two options, (Mira + Lisanna) and (Natsu + Gajeel), you will only get to vote once, so make it count. You have until July 1, 2019 to cast your lot, at which point I will announce the winner.**

 **Now, I'm sure a lot of you are itching to find out more about this blue-haired girl, and if she will, in fact, catch up to Gorun. So read, review, and enjoy!**

 **OP Song:** **200 miles by Jang Geun Suk**

 **P.S. Following some advice from some of those of you that have mentioned my response videos being too long, I will not be doing my best to do them one chapter at a time, as to make it easier for you to find your comment/my response. If you ever need help finding out where in the video yours is specifically, send me a PM, and I will give you the timestamp on the video that corresponds.**

* * *

 _Rival Arc: Chapter 2_

Dark Blades in the Heart

The two teams regrouped at the hotel as planned, with Gorun and Erza taking care of the bill and waiting for the room keys to arrive, talking quietly to one another as they did. The others were all spread out on sofas and lounge chairs, some of them looking more refreshed than others.

"What happened to you guys?" Wendy asked as she noticed that Natsu and Happy looked worn out, while Romeo looked a little smug.

"So many dishes…" Happy groaned.

"I don't think I've ever left a restaurant so hungry…" Natsu whined.

"They ate way over their spending allowance and ended up having to work in the kitchen to make up for it," Romeo sniggered. "I told 'em that such a fancy place would be expensive."

"Don't tell me you spent all your money on five-star food," Kinana said disapprovingly.

"Nah, I didn't spend all of it," Romeo replied, his grin fading. "I spent more than I should have, but at least I didn't have to work it off in the back."

"Which is more than we can say for those two hooligans," Carla said as she looked at Natsu and Happy.

"I remember Sting having quite the appetite, too," Yukino said as an awkward silence threatened to take hold of the gathering. "He would always try to get Rogue to compete against him, but he never took an interest."

Lucy glanced over at their new guild mate, noticing the hesitation with which she brought up her old guild, and the trace pain that the memories of it must have left her with. Not wanting the other celestial mage to keep reflecting on such times, she put on a smile and said, "If you wanna know about crazy eating competitions, try this- Gorun and Natsu had a contest to see who could have the most bread rolls stuffed in their mouths at once- and the judge was none other than the Celestial Spirit King."

"His Majesty?!" Yukino squawked. "The King of the Stars?!"

"I wish I could've seen that," Romeo sighed. "From what I heard, it makes our guild parties look really lame."

"Normally I wouldn't agree with anything that puts Fairy Tail in a bad light, but that was some party," Gray said with a grin as he leaned back in his chair.

* * *

The rooms were divided as such: Romeo and Gorun in one room, Kinana and Yukino in the next. For Team Natsu it went Lucy, Éclair, and Momon in one, Erza, Wendy, and Carla in another, and the boys in the room between them.

It was nearly midnight when Gorun finished his shower, stepping out into the room to dry off and change into his nightclothes. Unsurprisingly, they were a set of blue-and-green plaid pajamas, complete with a dark set of slippers.

Romeo eyed him from where he was sitting on his bed, a thick book in his hands; a fire magic book of some kind, Gorun would have guessed. Romeo was incredibly dedicated to his studies, more so than most kids his age. It was one of the reasons the Saiyan had wanted him on his team.

"Little light reading?" he asked as Romeo's eyes turned back to the pages.

"Just reviewing some of my newer spells before we head into the Boundary Forest," the boy replied absently. "Can't be too prepared, right?"

"Smart," Gorun said approvingly. "Keep that up, and you'll be taking the trials to become S-class in no time."

"Maybe, but for now, I'll just try to stick to keeping up with you and the rest of our team," Romeo chuckled. Gorun noticed that while his eyes were technically scanning the pages of the book, he didn't seem too fixated on what he was reading.

"Something on your mind?" he inquired as he sat on his own bed, across from his younger teammate.

"It's nothing major," Romeo said, trying to hide his face with his book.

Gorun laughed a little at the boy's reaction, saying, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Just do yourself a favor and stop trying to hide behind a book- that looks way too childish for me to take you seriously."

Romeo stiffened, then shut the book, revealing his slightly reddened face. "Okay, you have a point," he muttered. "It's just… Well, the truth is, I do want to talk to you about something, but I feel like it's the kind of conversation I should be having with my dad."

Now Gorun was the one to stiffen up. "Oh, uh…" he said, unsure of how to respond to that. He was happy to give the kid advice, certainly, but he didn't want to usurp Macao's role in Romeo's life, either. "What, ah…?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you in an awkward position," Romeo said with a short bow from where he sat. "I know you still respect my dad a lot because he was your first guild master, and I do too. But this is just something that I don't think my dad would be good to talk to about… He just doesn't have a great track record in this area…"

"Okay…" Gorun said slowly, still feeling way out of his depth. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"No!" Romeo snapped, a little harsher than he meant to. Again, he bowed shortly from his seated position before he said, "Sorry, I'm just nervous, Gorun. This is just something I haven't had to deal with before, and you're my leader, so I figured that if I couldn't talk to my dad, you'd be the best person to talk to."

"That might be the case, though I can't say for certain until I know what 'this' is," Gorun replied, trying to keep his voice neutral.

"Oh, right!" Romeo scolded himself, though his cheeks were flushing noticeably. "Well… I think I… kind of have a crush on Wendy?"

Gorun blinked a couple of times, replaying his young friend's words over in his head to make sure that he'd heard him right. "You want to talk to me… about girl advice?" he asked slowly.

"Yes," Romeo answered meekly, very red in the face.

"And… why don't you want to talk to your dad about it?" Gorun asked, trying to understand the entire situation before he said anything one way or another.

"He and my mom have been split up since before I can remember," the boy replied somberly, the red draining from his face a little. "Anytime they're in a room together, all they do is yell. I don't want to end up like that- I'd rather be happy all the time, like you and Kinana are when you're together."

"Buddy, let me fill you in on a little secret," Gorun laughed, some of the tension easing out of his body as he realized the problem. "Kinana and I are not happy every minute we're together. She and I have argued several times, and there have been plenty of disagreements between us even before we started dating."

"I kind of figured, but what I mean is that whenever you two are together, you bring out the best in each other," Romeo elaborated. "You guys are always looking out for each other, not trying to get something out of the other. That's the kind of example I want to follow, not like my dad and mom. I love them, but I've never even been able to have a birthday party where both of them were there because they can't stand each other…"

Gorun regarded the young man in front of him sadly. He couldn't imagine a life where his parents hated each other, and only having one of them struggle to raise him. It was now plain to see why Romeo wouldn't want to get advice on girls from his father, even at this early age. After all, Macao was a middle-aged man who spent half his time drinking or chasing skirts half his age.

"So… Wendy," Gorun began, clearing his throat in an attempt to lessen the awkwardness he felt building up in the room. "I can tell you the biggest obstacle you'll have with that one."

"Is it because she's a dragon slayer, and I'm just a regular old fire wizard?" Romeo asked eagerly, though he also seemed nervous to hear the answer.

"You're hardly 'regular," Gorun admonished him with a grin. "No, I was gonna say your biggest problem will be getting Carla to approve of y-"

 _Crash!_ "Eek!"

The two boys leaped to their feet, having heard the sound of furniture breaking, accompanied by a woman's scream, from outside their room.

"Was that Kinana?!" Romeo asked as he threw open the door to their room, several of the other guild members doing the same.

"No," Gorun said even before the purple-haired girl could appear to confirm her safety. "That was Lucy!" Dashing out into the hallway, he heard the sound of more furniture breaking from behind the girls' door.

Natsu and Gray were just ahead of him, kicking down the door to reveal a destroyed room, and the cloak of somebody that had just leaped off the railing on the balcony outside the hotel. "Romeo, stay with the others!" Gorun ordered as he, Gray, and Natsu made a beeline for the outside.

"Be careful!" the boy called out before they made their way past the sliding glass door.

"Where are they?" Gray demanded as they scanned the streets below them. That cloaked figure hadn't been Éclair or Lucy, so it could only mean that they were being pursued by someone. Since there weren't any bodies on the ground…

"There!" Gorun and Natsu shouted simultaneously as they pointed down a narrow back alley close to the hotel. Lucy was leading Éclair and Momon away from what looked like a caped man that was possibly wielding knives, who was hot on their heels in pursuit. Gorun had found them by sensing for their energy signatures, while Natsu had found Lucy with his keen sense of smell.

"Grab on!" Gorun ordered as he placed his fingers up to his forehead. An instant after Gray and Natsu had grabbed his shoulders, they vanished and reappeared in between the cloaked pursuer and the girls.

The black-garbed person skidded to a stop, their expression unreadable due to the white mask they wore over their face. However, they quickly reached into the recesses of their cloak, whereupon Gorun heard several metallic _clinks_.

"Blades!" he warned just before the pursuer hurled several razor-sharp throwing knives at each of them. Every wizard reacted without thinking- Lucy hurled herself in front of Éclair, shielding the brunette with her own body in the event that any of the weapons made it past the boys. Gray flash-froze and shattered the projectiles while Natsu melted them to slag with a breath attack. Gorun moved so fast that he was able to snatch three of them out of the air and cast them back at their attacker, who snarled as they were forced to dodge.

Based on how deep the growl had sounded, Gorun guessed that they were fighting a man, and his power level indicated that he was a wizard of some skill. Which just left…

"Who are you?!" he demanded. "Why are you after Lucy and Éclair?!"

The cloaked man regarded them silently for a moment before he took off running down another narrow alley. Letting out a growl of his own, Natsu took off after the man, Gray right behind him. Gorun only paused to glance back at the girls and say, "Look after Éclair, Lucy. I'm pretty sure Erza is on her way."

"You got it!" the celestial mage called back as he flew after his comrades.

He caught up to them just in time to see the assailant leaping from wall to wall, using each jump to gain height with the intended goal of reaching the rooftop. "Don't let him get away!" he roared as he flew upward and toward the assailant, a blue magic circle spawning in front of his right fist. " _Tyrant Lance!_ "

The laser blast just missed its target, but Gray and Natsu weren't far behind the man, using an ice pole to vault onto the rooftop, where the dark figure stood, waiting in the full moonlight. Gorun landed next to them, his Kaioken aura shining like a fire amidst the city lights.

"Nowhere left to run," Natsu said with a vicious grin.

"What will you do now?" Gray smirked as he prepared his ice-make magic.

The man regarded them silently for a moment, the only thing moving being his pale eyes, which they could now see through the slits in his mask. First they fixated on Natsu's guild mark, then on Gorun's face, which is where his gaze remained the longest.

"To think… two birds with one stone," he murmured. Before any of them could ask what he meant, he added, "Fairy Tail, was it…?" Then, without warning, his own shadow swallowed him up, leaving no trace that he'd ever been there.

"What the-?!" Natsu yelped.

"Where'd he go?!" Gray demanded, looking over at Gorun, whose face was hardened with concentration.

"I don't know," the young man muttered after a few seconds. "Whoever that was, he's more skilled than I gave him credit for. The instant that his shadow magic came into effect, he drastically lowered his power level. I can't find him amidst all the civilians down there now."

"Couldn't you tell where Rogue was whenever he did that?" Gray pressed, surprised to see his friend come up short like this. He was used to Gorun achieving success after success, not admitting defeat so readily.

"Rogue wasn't as skilled at concealing his presence," Gorun explained. "And even my powers have their limits."

"So we can't follow him?" the ice mage asked disappointedly.

"I can't even pick up a scent," Natsu added as he turned to face them. "Weird. Wonder why he was after two birds?" Before anyone could stop him, he yelled, "Oh crap! He must've been after that weird bird guy Elaine had with her! We gotta go find them!" With that, he leaped off the rooftop and began running back the way they had come.

"Stupid as he is, he brings up a good question," Gray said with a frown as he placed a hand on Gorun's shoulder to prepare for instant transmission. "What was that guy after? And what 'two birds' was he talking about?"

"Knowing our luck, I wager we'll be finding out real soon," Gorun said grimly.

* * *

"He was after Éclair, not Momon, you idiot!" Lucy was shouting as Gorun and Gray appeared beside them. Natsu had apparently voiced his ill-founded suspicion that the cloaked man was after Momon, and was receiving harsh criticisms from his teammate.

"He said somethin' about two birds!" Natsu yelled back. "He was the first guy I thought of!" As they argued back and forth, Gorun noted that Lucy was dressed only in a bath towel, and abruptly turned around to face away from her.

"This isn't the time for squabbling," Gray said, stepping forward. "Lucy, d'ya have any idea why that guy was after you three?"

"No," the blond girl answered with a shake of her head as she stood up. "And Eclair didn't recognize him, either."

"Uh…" Gray and Natsu stammered simultaneously. Gorun's keen ears picked up on the sound of falling cloth, and based on his comrades' reactions, he was doubly glad that he'd thought to turn his back to the celestial mage.

"What?" Lucy asked impatiently.

"Lucy, pick up your towel before Natsu and Gray's heads explode," Gorun sighed, his face resting in his hand.

" _Ack!_ "

"Hey is your freaky stripping habit contagious now?" Natsu asked his friend.

"I don't know?"

"Look away!"

* * *

"The guy was after a rock?" Gorun asked dubiously. "And a broken one at that? Really?"

"Didn't people in your world go looking for magic stones all the time?" Erza pointed out.

"That's fair," the Saiyan conceded. Both teams and Éclair were all back in Kinana and Yukino's room, as it was a tad larger than the others. The brunette girl had just finished explaining her theory about how their attacker might have been after a stone piece attached to a necklace that she wore at all times. The item itself, was, as Gorun crudely described it, apparently a piece of a bigger stone, though there was a hint of what looked like some sort of carving in its face. Without the other part, or parts, there was no telling what the image might be.

"I have carried this with me for as long as I can remember, though I'm not even sure how long that has been," Éclair murmured.

"Whaddya mean?" Happy asked her.

"Much of my past is a blank canvas," Éclair replied softly. "The only constant I have always been aware of is this stone… but lately… it feels as though some things are beginning to resurface."

"Amnesia?" Yukino asked softly. "How awful."

"You said that you were remembering some things, though," Erza interjected. "Is there anything clear?"

"Yes…" Éclair nodded. "I remember… The Boundary Forest. There is a man who lives there, named Kalard. I was supposed to take the stone to him."

"Kalard?" Gorun repeated, his eyes narrowing. "That name sounds familiar to me…"

"It is?" Éclair asked, looking up sharply at him.

"Yeah, I think I read about him somewhere…" the boy muttered, concentrating hard. "It's been a while, but I think… he's either a wizard or a scientist, maybe both. Yeah… I read about him somewhere during my first months here in Magnolia. Couldn't tell you what his research field is now, though. Sorry."

"It's all right," Erza said firmly. "At least we know why we're headed to the forest. We have a clearer goal than before, and I plan to make use of it."

"Do you think that you'll be able to sense this Kalard person out in the forest?" Kinana asked Gorun.

"With the monsters that live around those parts, it'll be difficult to find him, even if he's a strong mage," he replied with a thoughtful look. "I can still try, though. Worse comes to worst, if he lives in that forest, he's bound to have defenses set up to protect his home from the monsters in it. Those shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Excellent," Erza declared. "Get some rest, everyone. We leave at eight in the morning."

As everyone got up to leave, Éclair surprised them all by walking up to Natsu, Gray, and Gorun, blocking them from leaving the room. "Thank you, for saving Momon and I," she said quietly. Then she turned and exited, leaving all of them dumbfounded.

* * *

The forest wasn't too far from the town they had spent the night at, so they were well within its borders by nine o' clock, being led by Éclair's sense of direction as Gorun had yet to pick up on Kalard's energy signature. For the first thirty minutes or so, the trek was actually quite tranquil. Even so, Erza ordered everyone to stay as quiet as possible.

"I thought this place was supposed to be filled with S-class monsters or something," Romeo finally muttered, looking bored. "This place seems pretty tame so far."

"Keep making noise like that, and they'll notice us soon enough," Erza snapped. "I have been here several times in the past, and I have the scars to prove it."

"Quick history question," Gorun said with a grin and a lowered tone. "When Lucy met you the first time, you'd just slain a monster causing a town some trouble, right? It wouldn't have happened to have been from here, would it?"

"Indeed it was," Erza replied, impressed by his knowledge. "How did you hear about that?"

"Eh, somebody mentioned it the other day when I was asking about how Team Natsu came to be," the young man replied. "As a matter of fact, I- _Look out!_ " Suddenly Gorun shot forward, taking everyone by surprise as he interposed himself between a flying boulder and Éclair. Lashing out with a Tyrant Lance, he blew the rock to pieces, then triggered his Kaioken three times over as he glared up at a towering dinosaur-like beast. Said monster eyed him hungrily, so he grinned back at it in a feral manner.

"Gorun!" Kinana called out worriedly.

"I'm okay!" he called back. "I'll take this guy myself, all of you keep an eye out for his friends! Where there's one beastie, there's always a pack!" The others took up defensive positions in a rough circle around Éclair, even as more monsters began to gather, each of them eager to feed.

* * *

" _Kienzan!_ "

"Fire Dragon _ROAR!_ "

" _Gallick Gun!_ "

"Sky Dragon _Wing Attack!_ "

"Heaven's Wheel: _Pentagram Sword!_ "

"Ice-make: _Cannon!_ "

" _Eat dirt! Alter Gravity!_ "

Explosions of various energies rang throughout the forest, decimating scores of monsters that day. In the middle of it all, the Fairy Tail wizards pushed onward, heading in a westerly direction.

" _Man, this is way more fun than fighting those dragons!_ " Lucino grinned as she bumped fists with Natsu. Lucy and Yukino had performed the fusion dance with the rings that Gorun had given them, enabling the celestial wizards to remain in their merged state for as long as they wished. The trade-off was that the resulting fusion was not as strong as it could have been, but they preferred the stability the rings gave.

"I thought you had fun with that?" Gray teased her.

" _Nah, I'll take on flunkies like those castle guards or these pint-sized grizzlies, but a dragon?_ " She shook her head emphatically in the negative. " _That's what dragon slayers are for._ "

"So you just like beating up on people that are weaker than you?" Gorun asked bluntly.

" _Like you can talk,_ " she grinned at him. " _Seriously, who other than a Wizard Saint can go toe-to-toe with you?_ "

"I thought you were supposed to be the greatest celestial wizard of all time?" he replied with his own grin.

" _Hey, I'm gorgeous, not stupid,_ " Lucino shot back. " _I know I wouldn't be able to take you in a head-on fight. Especially not after seeing you turn on the blond and hair extensions._ "

"Huh," Gorun mused, cocking his head slightly at the girl, who gave him an annoyed glare.

" _What?_ "

"I've never heard a fusion admit to their own limits before," he said as he slammed a giant lizard into the earth with a casual hammer fist. "It's a novel experience."

" _That's because we're not made up of meatheads like you and hotshot over there!_ " Lucino shouted as she pointed at Natsu, who was in the middle of roasting a bear the size of their guild hall.

"She has a point," Kinana panted, releasing her own Kaioken as she paused for breath.

"Are you alright?" Gorun asked her, concerned that she was overextending herself.

"Yeah… Just need a minute to rest," the purple-haired girl said with a grateful smile as he held her close to him, transferring a bit of energy through the hug.

"Do you need some water?" Éclair surprised them both by offering them a drink from her water skin.

"Yes, thank you," Kinana said appreciatively as she took a small drink from the offered container.

 _Maybe she will warm up to us,_ Gorun thought, his optimism kicking back in.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when they found it.

"Check this out," Gorun muttered as he noticed a strange energy pattern that was confined to a small area in the woods. As soon as his fingers entered the area, a red, grid-like hologram flickered to life, riddled with runes and other arcane markings. "Monster deterrent," he mused aloud as the others gathered around him. "Doesn't take a lot of energy to make or sustain; no wonder I didn't sense it earlier. Clever, but…" He frowned again.

"But what?" Kinana prompted him.

"These markings are old," he said as he passed his whole body through the field, fortunately without any ill effect. "I've seen a bit of rune magic in the field, and some of Freed's back at the guild, but this stuff looks a lot older than I would have expected."

"Perhaps the man is a historian on top of all his other studies," Erza suggested. "It's not all that unusual to see a wizard fall back on old methods to try and develop a new branch of magic from it."

"Fair enough," Gorun acknowledged. "But there's still one thing that bothers me…"

"What's that?" Gray asked, instantly on the alert for more monsters.

"I don't sense anyone nearby but us," his friend replied as he folded his arms across his chest. "Wizard or otherwise."

"That is disconcerting," Éclair frowned as she looked around the forest surrounding them. "I know that this is the place… I've seen it before."

"Maybe he's out for the day?" Wendy suggested tentatively.

"Maybe," Gorun repeated with a nod, but he looked doubtful. "Stay sharp. The guy that chased Lucy and Éclair can hide his power level so I can't sense him, and if he got to Kalard before we did, he might still be around." The others acknowledged the warning and made sure to be ready with their magic if the need should arise.

* * *

Soon after, in a clearing by a waterfall where some trees had been cleared away, they found what looked like the ruins of someone's home. There wasn't a lot left- just a few corners and what might have been the foundations of a bedroom, but other that, it looked as though no one had been there in a very long time.

" _Okay, I know that a lot of wizards are messy, but I didn't expect there to be one that would just let their house fall to pieces,_ " Lucino muttered, slipping the ring off her finger as she finished speaking. There was a flash of light, and then there were two celestial wizards standing among them. Apparently since they hadn't seen a monster since they'd passed the runes, Lucino had decided that she wasn't needed.

"Even Natsu doesn't let his place look this bad," Lucy continued.

"Hey, gimme a break!" the fire wizard protested. "It's not my fault we gotta go on so many jobs to pay for your rent! I don't have time to clean up the place!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy agreed enthusiastically.

Any further arguing was cut off by the sound of stone grating on stone. They all turned to see a slab of rock- which they originally mistook as a part of the foundation of the house- sliding back to reveal a set of stone stairs that led underground.

"Now _that's_ more like it!" Romeo grinned. "Secret stairway!"

"Gorun, you first," Erza said as they gathered around the newly-opened entrance. "And be careful."

"How do we know that this isn't a trap?" Kinana asked worriedly.

"If it is, I'll spring said trap," Gorun grinned. "If not, then our day gets a whole lot easier." With that, he kissed her on the head and then descended down the steps, ready to let loose with a Kienzan at anything that moved. A few seconds after he vanished from view, he called up, "Okay, I'm being torn limb from limb. I need a rescue party."

"Smart guy," Gray smirked as he headed down the steps next, quickly followed by the others, who were all either grinning or rolling their eyes at the S-class alien.

What they found was more in keeping with the image of a wizard's home. There were notebooks scattered about, tables littered with various experiments, and materials for crafting something or other. Still…

"Okay, this looks more like what we were looking for, but it still doesn't seem like anyone has been here for a while," Yukino noted aloud.

"Maybe he moved?" Romeo suggested.

"Looks that way," Kinana nodded. "Maybe he decided that living in this forest was too dangerous."

"If that was the case, why did he leave all of his research just lying around?" Gorun asked with another frown as he examined some parchments depicting an image of what looked like a war arrow. "I'd almost wonder if he wasn't kidnapped by the guys that attacked the girls, but there's no sign of a struggle, nor that anything has been taken."

"Any idea what he was working on?" Erza asked him as she stood beside him to look at the drawing he was studying.

"Some kind of weapon? Doesn't seem very in keeping with what I read about him, though…" Gorun muttered.

"Guys, come look at this," Lucy said, interrupting their conversation. The others looked over to see her and Éclair staring up at a painting of some kind, one that had been seemingly ruined by the passage of time, if the holes in the fabric and the coat of dust sitting on the frame were anything to go by.

Still, there was just enough of an image to make out that there were three people in the painting, and one of them looked a lot like…

"Is that… me?" Éclair whispered, reaching out to touch the smallest figure on the canvas. As she did, her fingertips brushed against an orb that had been resting on the tabletop beneath the picture. The crystal flashed to life with a soft blue glow, and above it appeared the image of an old man.

"My dear Éclair…" he began with a kind, loving smile. "If you are seeing this, then my worst fears have some to pass. I am no longer able to give you this message in person, but it is imperative that you understand the significance of our task…"

* * *

"So Éclair's father was Kalard," Gorun said quietly as he gazed into the campfire that Natsu had created. "His research was developing a way to destroy these 'phoenix stones', but he passed away before he could finish the job." He and everyone but Éclair, Momon, and Lucy were sitting in the ruins of Kalard's home, where they had decided to camp for the night.

"Poor Éclair," Kinana said from where she sat beside him. "Just when she starts getting some of her memories back, she loses her father…" The young couple looked up from the fire, watching as Éclair began to dance by the riverside, tears falling from her eyes in rivulets, though she made not a sound.

"What do we do now?" Romeo asked. "The job's a bust. We weren't able to help her find what she was looking for."

"We may not have found Kalard himself, but we might just have a new task come out of this," Gorun told his young friend. "If he never finished his work on how to destroy that stone that Éclair carries, we may just have figure it out ourselves. As his daughter, she'll likely want to complete his work, but I doubt if she has the tools to do the job."

"That's if she can bring herself to let go of the only remaining link to her father that she has," Erza said somberly. "Perhaps it's best if we don't interfere with Kalard's will any further."

"Let's wait and see what Éclair has to say once she's done mourning," Gorun suggested. "After all, it's her task now."

"If she's looking for someone to break stuff, she's with the right guild," Natsu grinned, though it was a more subdued version of his usual good cheer. Apparently the news of Kalard's death, and the sadness that it had caused Eclair was dampening even his mood.

Gorun smiled wanly at his companion before looking back over at the mourning woman, who was now being embraced by Lucy as she cried for what she had lost. _To think that I have so much power that a Wizard Saint couldn't stand against me, but when it comes to the battles that really matter, I feel so powerless?_ He thought dejectedly.

He hadn't liked Éclair- and he wasn't entirely sure that he did now, either. But seeing someone suffer so keenly in front of him, and being incapable of helping them didn't sit right with him.

Kinana, seeming to sense his thoughts, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and said, "We'll all have a role to fulfil in this- in helping Éclair. Some of us just need to wait our turn." As she spoke, she gestured at Lucy, adding, "This is her part to play. Lucy isn't the strongest wizard here, but you're hard pressed to find anyone with a bigger heart. She lives to see those around her be happy."

"Éclair's in good hands now," Natsu agreed, surprising the others with his assertion. "Lucy'll make sure she's okay."

* * *

"I have a request to make of the Fairy Tail guild." Éclair's declaration was met with little surprise from the others that were gathered around the campfire. She and Lucy had returned a few minutes prior, but no one had said anything out of respect for the girl's need to mourn. Though it now seemed that she had deemed something else more important than her own grief.

"Then you've come to the right group," Yukino said with a warm smile to the long-haired woman. "Speaking from personal experience, the people here will do everything in their power to help you."

Éclair inclined her head toward the celestial wizard in acknowledgement before saying, "My father's final days were spent trying to find a way to destroy this stone." As she spoke, she held up the pendant she wore for emphasis. "He never managed to finish the job. I ask you now to do what he could not, and help him rest in peace, knowing that his work was completed."

"You can count on us," Natsu grinned brightly.

"Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed.

* * *

"You return empty-handed, Chase…" Dyst said with a dark frown as he eyed his comrade. "Unusual for you."

"It doesn't matter," the other assassin replied gruffly. "I have what we need to make our second foray the last."

"Oh?" his leader asked with one raised eyebrow. "You have a name?"

"That, and a location," Chase answered. "The girl is traveling with wizards from Fairy Tail. And one of them is the man we were tasked with finding."

"Is he really as tough as that crazy chick says he is?" Cannon scoffed.

"I'd be careful about who you call crazy," an uncomfortably familiar voice said as its owner walked up to the group, their face harder than flint. Though they tried to hide it, her appearance made Cannon, Chase, and Coordinator flinch and back up a half-pace. Only Dyst seemed truly unafraid of her, but out of all of them, he was the best at keeping his composure, no matter the situation.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would reveal yourself again," the leader of the assassin's group said neutrally.

"What, and miss the chance to see the big guy wet himself again?" the blue-haired girl laughed as she came to stand among them. "Who knows, maybe we'll see it happen if you didn't come back with the information I want." She aimed the last question at Chase, who glared back at her.

"I found him," he said shortly.

"Well I see you had the good sense not to fight him," she grinned crookedly. "Nothing but a smear would have been left of you, then."

"Hmph."

"Where is he, then?" she demanded.

"That's the part that's going to complicate matters," Dyst said, taking control of the conversation now.

The girl, however, did not like that one bit. A blade of blue energy appeared at his throat, stopping just short of cutting into his flesh. "The location," the girl said, her voice as cold and sharp as an icicle. "Now."

"Or else what?" Dyst replied calmly. "You kill us, you'll need someone new to find the information. And no one will do it as quickly as we can."

"You five seconds to rephrase that," the bluenette tossed back. "Five. Four."

"We will be glad to take you to him if you assist us in our own endeavor simultaneously," Dyst said with a shrug, his words unhurried, his breathing calm and steady.

"Three. Two."

"He is currently protecting our own quarry," the man said, his eyebrows finally drawing together. "Our goals are currently on a parallel course to one another. The fastest way for you to find him is with us, and our best chance at claiming the item we seek is if he can't interfere. Both parties win."

The girl stared him down for a long, long moment. No one moved. Hardly anyone dared to breathe.

Then, finally; "If you attempt to sabotage me in any way, or even do something that I just don't like, I will gut you and feed your entrails to pigs," the girl said in a deadly quiet whisper. "Am I clear?"

Dyst, his eyes now burning with undisguised hatred, answered, "Transparent."

"Where is Kaidon?"

* * *

"Are you guys sure you want me to do this?" Gorun asked with a slight wince as he looked down at his target.

"You're the one with the most destructive magic here," Lucy pointed out. "If any of us are gonna be able to break it, it'd be you." They were out back behind the guild hall, on the short stretch of beach that was part of the building's property. They had returned from their trip earlier that morning, and were now trying to figure out a plausible way to destroy the stone that Éclair carried. About twenty feet in front of Gorun, facing away from the city, was said phoenix stone, resting on top of a rock that Elfman had lugged over for them.

"I'm more worried about breaking the ocean," Gorun replied, looking back at the others. His team and Natsu's were in attendance, as were the two older Strauss siblings.

"Oh come on, I doubt even you could break the ocean," Mirajane smiled brightly at him.

"He totally could, Gorun is super manly!" Elfman argued.

"We might as well try it," Yukino said. "Lucy makes a good point- if your raw strength can't destroy it, we'll have to dig up whatever we can on Kalard's research, which likely won't be much. We'd mostly be starting from scratch, and who knows how long that could take?"

"Why not ask Levy to do some reading on it?" Gorun suggested, trying to find some way out of it.

"She's already on it, but she said she would come out and tell us if she found something," Lucy replied huffily. "Seriously, what's the big deal? Turn on the blond and blast that rock!"

"Maybe he's scared of it?" Natsu snickered, Happy joining in on the laughter after a second.

"That rock is supposed to be all but indestructible because of magic, I don't know what kind of defense mechanisms it might have!" Gorun shouted at the pair. "For all I know, it could blow up Magnolia if I hit it hard enough!"

"It didn't do anything when Natsu hit it," Wendy replied thoughtfully. It was true. Earlier, Natsu had tried to fry the rock with a wing attack, to no avail.

"Natsu doesn't hit as hard as I do," Gorun deadpanned.

"Come over here and say that _, I dare ya!_ "

 _Whang!_

"Gorun, I'm sure everything will be fine," Erza said as she lowered her fist from where it had crashed into Natsu's skull. "Please try, and then if it fails, we can break for lunch and explore other options."

"Fine…" Gorun grumbled. "For the record, I am still against this."

"We noticed," Gray said dryly, his shirt now resting on the sand. "Just get it over with, man."

"Rrgh…" the Saiyan muttered before turning back to face the stone. A moment's thought conjured two golden magic circles over his head, the second, larger one crackling with lightning. "Two-layer takeover: _Saiyan Soul!_ " There was a blinding flash of light and a sound of thunder, and when it faded away, Gorun stood transformed into his second Super Saiyan form.

"What kind of magic is that?" Éclair asked as she struggled to see through the dust that had been kicked up by the transformation. "In all my travels, I've never seen power like this."

"Gorun's… not from around here," Kinana told her with a strange smile. "His magic is pretty different than what most people are used to seeing."

" _Ka… me…_ " the boy intoned, his voice colder and rougher than usual. His hands came to rest on the right side of his ribs, and blue light began to shine from between his fingers. " _ha… me…_ "

"Haha, here it comes!" Natsu exclaimed with a huge grin, despite the fact that he'd been taking a forced nap just a few seconds ago.

"Here comes what?" Éclair inquired.

"You might wanna hold onto something," Mirajane said, maintaining her sweet smile.

"Hold onto wha-?"

" _HA!_ " Gorun's hands thrust forward, and the Turtle Destruction Wave was on its way, striking true so that the phoenix stone was swallowed up by its light. Behind the Super Saiyan, the wind was howling, and debris was flying everywhere, forcing everyone to struggle to even stand. Éclair, being completely unused to the unintended side effects of a massive etherion blast, nearly fell back on her seat, but Elfman kept both her from falling, and Momon from being blown away entirely.

The ocean was split for miles, and the beach expanded rapidly from the pressure of Gorun's attack. The foreign girl now realized why the boy had been so nervous about using his power in this manner- if he aimed the wrong way, he might well have broken the ocean.

When the attack was finished and the light faded, the boulder that had been holding the pendant was nothing but vapor. The stone itself, on the other hand, shone with a red light while hovering in the air as if to mock his efforts, then dropped to the ground and ceased to glow.

Gorun heaved a giant breath of both relief and disappointment as he released his transformation, his hair darkening to black and falling back to frame his face. "Told you that wouldn't work," he muttered as he walked over to them, holding the stone out for Éclair to take.

"You didn't use Super Saiyan 3," Erza pointed out. "And the stone definitely seemed to react to your attack as opposed to Natsu's. Perhaps-"

"Erza," Gorun said sternly, his tone and body language brooking no further argument. "I will _not_ be using Super Saiyan 3 again if I can help it. The form is dangerous not just for me, but for those around me."

"All right, calm down," Kinana told him firmly. "It wasn't a bad suggestion, Gorun, given what we saw." The boy let out another sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose but did not voice another protest.

"Well, we tried," the redhead requip wizard shrugged. "Let's break for lunch and come back to this when we're feeling a little more rested."

"Aye sir!" Happy and Natsu exclaimed, giddy at the thought of getting to stuff themselves with Mirajane's cooking.

* * *

"Any luck?" Macao asked as Gorun and Romeo sat down to eat with the girls.

"Not so far," Gorun shrugged. "Though I'm surprised no one noticed me going Super Saiyan 2 earlier when I tried to break the stone."

"We noticed all right, but we figured that it'd be safer in here," the former guild master said with a nervous grin. "You didn't damage the town, did you?"

Gorun gave him an affronted look and asked, "Who do you think I am? Natsu?"

"Hey!" the Salamander shouted, indignant.

"Sorry Natsu, but he's got you there," Lucy grinned as she gave him a nudge with her elbow. Sitting beside her, at the table across from Golden Tail's lunch spot, were Éclair and Momon, both of them eating quietly. However, unlike the last time that the girl had dined in the guild hall, she was not surrounded by a tense, unfriendly air, but more an aura of quiet companionship. That wasn't to say that she looked totally at ease, but at least she didn't seem to hate everyone in the immediate vicinity, either.

Gorun was impressed- she and Lucy must have bonded rather closely through the girl's grief for her attitude to have changed in such a way. He thought back to what Kinana had said, about how everyone had a role to play in helping Éclair, and that Lucy's was to reach out to her emotionally. _So what role do I play in her story?_ He wondered as he bit into his burger.

Explosions tore into the building, destroying the front wall in seconds, and sending wizards and debris flying indiscriminately. There was the sound of cannon fire, followed by more of the shockwaves tearing apart the newly-restored guild hall. When the second volley was done, a good quarter of the guild's headquarters lay in ruins, most of the damage being contained to the mess hall.

As soon as the dust began to settle, about a half-dozen people emerged from the debris, all of them looking incredibly angry. Others were dragging themselves from the rubble, but they looked more afraid than enraged.

Erza, Gorun, Natsu, Gray, Yukino, and Romeo immediately glared at their attackers, which they could now see was a group of four people. The man in the lead wore a black cape and had silver-blue hair, a blank expression on his face. On his right stood a tall, muscular man armed with a large railgun that he carried with seemingly little effort, in addition to several more smaller versions of the weapon hovering around his head and shoulders. To the leader's left, a blond woman stood, dressed in a pale purple dress, and another cloaked figure that was all too familiar to the members of Teams Natsu and Golden Tail.

"Who knew they'd be stupid enough to come looking for round two?" Gray growled as he finished pulling himself up, ripping off his shirt as he stood. "Let's show 'em what we've got, Fairy Tail!"

The others were about to echo the sentiment when a strong, carrying voice called down from above, " _Stop!_ " Everyone, both guild wizards and assassins stopped where they were and looked up at the speaker.

Floating down until they were only a few feet off the ground in the space between the two parties, was a teenage girl with azure blue hair and eyes. She was slender, and wearing a martial arts uniform that matched her shoulder-length locks. Something about that uniform looked familiar to most of the Fairy Tail wizards…

"I have business with one of your members, before you all get back to whatever it is that this is," she said dismissively.

"Get outta the way!" Natsu shouted up at her, drawing her attention. "Either pick a side and fight, or stay out of our business!"

"Be quiet, little boy, or I'll snap your neck like a twig," the girl snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously. Again, something about her rang familiar with the fairies in the area, but none of them could quite put their finger on it…

Kinana's eyes widened, and she looked over at Gorun, who was now, of all things, hiding behind a pillar! She was about to call out to him when she noticed that he was very pale, and his eyes were wide with shock and possibly terror. He caught her stare, and shook his head in the negative ever so slightly. Not completely understanding, but trusting that he had a plan, she returned her attention to the girl floating in their midst.

"You would do well to avoid repeating that mistake," Erza growled at the newcomer, her body glowing as she engaged a requip. "Threatening a Fairy Tail wizard, in their own home, no less, is a mistake few live to regret." The glow faded, and she was wearing her Purgatory Armor.

"Hmph," the blue-clad girl snorted contemptuously before pointing a finger at Erza. Less than a second later, a blade of blue energy spat out of a magic circle of the same color and stabbed her right in her navel, piercing several organs and rendering Titania insensate.

The blade retracted, and the young redhead fell over, an ominous red stain spreading out beneath her as she hit the ground without even a grunt. Everyone in Fairy Tail froze in a mixture of shock and horror. Shock that Erza, of all people, could be taken down so easily. Horror at the fact that one of their most beloved wizards might have just been killed.

"That's your only warning, wizards," the girl announced casually, as if discussing the weather. "If Kaidon doesn't reveal himself in the next moment or so, it'll take the Super Dragon Balls to fix what I'll do to each of you."

There was a sound of thunder, and the pillar that Gorun had been hiding behind was suddenly in splinters. The sound repeated itself when his fist collided with her open palm, the shockwave generating a wind gust strong enough to force those still standing nearby to nearly lose their balance.

"I've always hated that name," the boy snarled, spitting furiously. "I've always hated your brutality in the field. I hated the rivalry you tried to create between us. I've always hated _you_ , Azura."

The blue-haired girl's only response was to grin in a feral manner as the magic energy they were both giving off began to build up around them with alarming speed. All around them, wizards from both sides sensed that it would be healthier if they were not so close to the impending conflict, and so began to back away. Even the four assassins seemed on edge, unsure of what was coming.

"But now I've found something that I hate even more than all of that," the Saiyan boy hissed, his eyes flashing green as a golden magic circle appeared below his feet.

"What's that? … _Kaidon_?" the girl teased him, even as a matching magic sigil appeared beneath her own body.

"I really hate it when people try to get to me through _my family_!" He roared, his hair standing on end and flashing to life with a brilliant golden color. "Now see how far I'll be willing to go to avenge them!"

"And I hate cowards without the guts to face up to their own fate!" the girl shouted back, her own eyes flashing emerald as her now-blond hair stood up on end. The energies that they were casting off were now positively pulsating through the air, stirring up the shattered pieces of the guild hall anew.

Two Super Saiyans had awoken and things were about to get messy.

* * *

"This chick's like Gorun?!" Gray shouted, his eyes wide. "How do we fight against something like that?!"

"We don't!" Kinana shouted while she and Yukino carried Erza away from the oncoming storm. They had moved to retrieve her while the intruders were distracted by Gorun's explosive entrance. The S-class wizard was alive, though just barely.

"Wendy, keep her stable!" the purple-haired barmaid called to the dragon slayer, who nodded as she rushed over to help. "I'll go get a senzu bean from Gorun's house!"

"I'll do what I can, but you need to hurry!" the little girl shouted back. "I don't know how long I can keep her alive!" Kinana nodded and took flight, zooming away from the wreckage as fast as she could.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gorun and his adversary were in a deadlock, each one trying to outmuscle the other. "You were always weaker than me, despite the fact that I never trained as hard as you," Gorun taunted her. "And ever since I came here, I've become strong in ways you could never understand. I don't know how or why you came here, but you really stepped in it this time, Azura! _I'll make you PAY!_ "

With that, he worked his way past her block, and kicked her up into the stratosphere, zooming after her less than a second later, his eyes blazing with hatred.

"Azura?" Romeo repeated to himself. _Isn't that the girl he said he was afraid of?! What's she doing here?! I thought Gorun said that-_

"Heads up, we still got these guys to deal with!" Gray shouted, calling everyone's attention back to the other four intruders. He slammed his hands together as he prepared to cast his magic in defense of his home and friends.

"Bring it on!" Natsu bellowed, his fists blazing. "These jerks got me _all fired up_!"

* * *

 **Gorun: I will mount your head on my fireplace!**

 **Mataras: That's only if you catch me!**

 **Saiki: What a pain. They've been at this for weeks.**

 **Azura: Do you think it'll speed things up if I knock them on their faces?**

 **Saiki: Perhaps, but I doubt that Gorun will take kindly to your intrusion.**

 **Azura: Probably, but what do I care? I've already done that.**

 **Saiki: True, but I think Mataras wants us to do the announcements while he's busy dealing with Gorun.**

 **Azura: I am _not_ going to-**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- Super Saiyan Showdown.**

 **Azura: Now _that's_ something I can look forward to! Come back next month to watch me kick the crap out of Kaidon!**

 **Saiki: Be also sure to inspect the new bios that Mataras will be including at the end of each chapter preview.**

 **Azura: They will include known techniques, equipment, and fun facts not revealed in the story! ...Wait, how did I get roped into this?!**

 **Saiki: I learned to stop asking a while back. It's a massive pain.**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"Says the one threatening to kill all my friends," Gorun seethed. "What kind of Saiyan tries to get a fight going through others, huh?!"

"We're only part Saiyan," Azura smiled coldly. "Guess that's just whatever part of me that's human coming out."

"There's nothing human about what you've just done," her opponent snarled, his aura flaring brighter. "And if you think you've become strong, then let me show you just how far you still have to go!" A golden magic circle appeared beneath his feet, crackling with lightning.

"Aha, so you did manage to get that far on your own," Azura nodded as the circle enveloped him in light and sent his power level even higher. "I'm surprised you could in a world that's so… lacking in adequate fighters."

"You underestimate them, it'll be your last mistake," Gorun replied as he completed the Super Saiyan 2 ascension. "Actually, no, that was underestimating me."

"Ha!" Azura snorted. "You really thought I would have come here if I wasn't confident that I could drag you back to the Time Patrol and have you answer for your crimes against it?"

"I am answering for my crime," the boy snapped, lightning dancing across his brow as it bent downward. "The Supreme Kai of Time herself sentenced me to exile, here on Earthland. You're not here to drag me back because doing so would be in direct conflict with her orders."

"You're a danger to the timeline of this reality!" Azura screamed at him, her own power level rising rapidly. "The longer you stay, the more the scrolls that record its history will be warped! As a Time Patroller, I cannot allow it!"

"It's not your decision to make!" Gorun shouted back.

"There is no decision to be made, by you or me!" she shrieked. "I _will_ protect time, no matter what it takes!" A magic circle matching the one that Gorun had recently conjured appeared beneath her feet, causing his eyes to widen.

"You too?" he asked, even as he took a ready stance against her.

"Goku surpassed Vegeta, so why shouldn't I be able to surpass you?" she growled at him as her own body ascended to the second form. Her hair flew about more wildly than before and the lightning coming off of her body seemed especially thick around it. "Now let's see what you've really got… _Kaidon._ "

"I still hate that name!" he spat as he prepared to charge forward once again.

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Son Gorun

Saiyan Name: Kaidon

Age at chapter 1: 16 yrs

Current Age: 18 yrs

Conception/Author's commentary:

Gorun has been my attempt to basically make a convincing original character that isn't Mataras. He gets angry in battle, sure, but people that don't are far and few in between, a fact that is exacerbated by the clouding effect that Super Saiyan has on his mind. Outside of battle, he still has things that make him tic, but for the most part, he's a genuinely nice person.  
I originally was going to make him the son of (Xeno) Raditz, but I decided against it, seeing as it would make Gorun a little too similar to MasakoX's characters, Ranch, Daikon, and Mooli. With that in mind, I decided to simply make him the child of the heroes from Dragon Ball Xenoverse 1 and 2. I did, however, make it my plan from the beginning to have him be a descendant of Chronoa.  
In the first chapter, we see him described as having short hair that would have looked something like kid Natsu's hairstyle. I decided that I like my main protagonists with long hair, though, and now he wears it more or less like Mirai Trunks does when he ties it back. Why do I like them with longer hair? No clue.  
Last thing that changed about him from the original concept is that originally, he was supposed to become romantically entangled with Yukino, which would in turn create a somewhat bitter aspect to the rivalry between the Fairies and Tigers. I decided against this because I also liked the potential of Kinana's character, and felt that it was largely wasted in the original Fairy Tail series, and she was more of a (romantic) match for a Saiyan who doesn't like overtly competitive and brash women.

Known Techniques:

-Instant Transmission  
-Kamehameha  
-Double Sunday  
-Kienzan (Destructo-disc)  
-Masenko  
-Big Bang Attack  
-Tyrant Lance  
-Hellzone Grenade  
-Makankosappo (Special Beam Cannon)  
-Final Flash  
-Dragon Fist  
-Metamoran Fusion

Known Transformations/Enhancements:

-Oozaru (mentioned, not yet seen)  
-Kaioken (up to twenty times)  
-Super Saiyan  
-Super Saiyan 2  
-Super Saiyan 3

Equipment/Items used:

-Senzu beans  
-Metamo-Rings (currently being held by Lucy Heartfelia and Yukino Agria)  
-Potara Earrings (blue)  
-weighted combat bracers

Accomplishments:

-Discovered a way to channel etherion with a single magic circle, as opposed to dozens, at the age of sixteen  
-Became an S-class wizard at age eighteen  
-Was part of the Fairy Tail team that took 2nd place in the qualifying round for the Grand Magic Games  
-Tied with Jura Neekos in combat on the opening day of the Grand Magic Games  
-Took first place in the Magic Power Finder contest on day three of the Grand Magic Games  
-Was an active participant on the Fairy Tail team that won the Grand Magic Games  
-Nearly managed to kill a dragon (Zirconis) despite not being a dragon slayer  
-Founded and now leads a team of wizards called 'Team Golden Tail'

Stats:

-Power: 6/7  
-Speed: 6/7  
-Technique:5/7  
-Intelligence:5/7  
-Cooperativeness: 3/7

Fun Facts:

-His Saiyan name is a play on a 'daikon' radish, but also references his blood connection to the Supreme Kai of time. It is also a reference to MasakoX's 'What if Raditz turned good' series, as one of Raditz and Launch's twin boys is named 'Daikon'.

-His favorite meat is beef

-His favorite thing to do alone when not working or training is reading, specifically history or historical fiction

-He hates sour food

-He currently stands at six feet, one inch tall

-His guild mark is green, and is stamped on his right forearm

-His Meyers Briggs' personality is 'the Entertainer', ESFP


	20. Super Saiyan Showdown

**A/N: Happy Easter, everybody! I know I said you'd have to wait until May for the next chapter, but since I'm trying to release holiday chapters, you all get one a little early! Mind you, this does mean that you'll be waiting until Memorial Day weekend for the next installation, but hey, let's not worry about that for now.**

 **For those of you that would like to see an image of Azura, go check out my Instagram account, the_red_swordsman to see her, and a few other images that I've come up with, including Lucino, early drawings of Gorun (and a brand-new one that shows his outfit post-Dragon King Festival), along with some upcoming teaser images for what is to come (par examplar, there will soon be a picture of Erza in a new set of armor that my wife and I designed).**

 **If you missed it last time, I am now putting profiles for my original characters- and characters in Fairy Tail that have been affected by Gorun's influence- after the preview for the next chapter. Last time it was for Gorun, this time it will be full of interesting and fun facts for Kinana. Also, don't forget to cast your vote for which fusion should make their debut in the Tartaros arc, because you only have until July to do so!**

 **Lastly, I encourage you all to check out my response to your reviews from the previous chapter, which will be up on my YouTube channel the afternoon of April 23, 2019. My wife and I also recently posted a video titled, Gruvia: Why It DOESN'T Work, something that we've both been wanting to do for a while now. Let us know what you think of these videos, and feel free to suggest other topics that you would be interested for us to discuss.**

 **Now, at long last, let's see how the battle between Azura and Gorun/Kaidon is faring!**

 **OP Song: In My World (cover by Nathan Sharp)**

* * *

 _Rival Arc: Chapter 3_

Super Saiyan Showdown

 _Conton City, many years ago…_

" _Ow!_ " a little girl yelped as she was thrown to the hard ground for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

"No complaining," a stern voice lectured her from about a dozen yards away. "If you get hurt that easily, you can forget about becoming a Super Saiyan like Kaidon."

The speaker was a short man with ridiculously tall, spiky hair, dressed in advanced grey-and-white combat armor from Capsule Corporation. His eyebrows were drawn together in a scowl, but that wasn't anything special- Prince Vegeta was always frowning.

"But Grandpa-"

"No!" the stern man said sharply. "No, I am not your 'grandpa' Vegeta right now, young lady. I am your combat instructor, nothing more and certainly nothing less! You won't be currying any favor with me that way."

The little girl with blue hair sniffled but dashed at her eyes and firmed up her chin as she turned around to face her sparring partner again. They were a young boy, only a year older than her, with black hair and soft grey eyes. He looked uncomfortable being there, but since he wasn't the one constantly on the losing end of these practice matches, she felt it was safe to say that her own discomfort was far more marked than his.

"Again," Vegeta ordered in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Seriously?" the boy sighed. "We've been at this all day. She hasn't beat me once yet, and at this rate, she's not going to. Can't we just-"

"Training ends when I say it does!" the Prince of all Saiyans shouted at him, causing him to flinch. "Now I don't want to hear another word out of you two unless it's a Gallick Gun or one of Kakarot's stupid attacks!"

"Yes sir," the boy sighed as he assumed a combat stance unique to the saiyans. Looking back at his opponent, he added, "Ready when you are, Azura."

* * *

 _Magnolia, Present Day…_

" _Tyrant Lance!_ "

" _Kikoho!_ "

Gorun's beam attack collided with Azura's crushing energy wave and neutralized it, sending shockwaves throughout the air above Magnolia. The long-haired young man glowered at his opponent, who smirked condescendingly at him.

"You've gotten stronger since the last time we did this," he said begrudgingly.

"Now what kind of Saiyan would I be if I didn't seek to grow ever stronger in battle?" she replied.

"Hopefully one that could learn to let things lie, but I guess that won't be happening, _will it_?!" he shouted, unleashing a Kamehameha from almost point-blank range. "Did you forget that you were never able to beat me?!"

In response, the blue-haired girl conjured a barrier that blocked the technique, then lashed out with an energy sword sprouted from her hand. "Things change, people most of all," she spat at him. "Take you, for example. I always knew you were lazy, but I never took you for a coward!"

"Says the one threatening to kill all my friends," Gorun seethed. "What kind of Saiyan tries to get a fight going through others, huh?!"

"We're only part Saiyan," Azura smiled coldly. "Guess that's just whatever part of me that's human coming out."

"There's nothing human about what you've just done," her opponent snarled, his aura flaring brighter. "And if you think you've become strong, then let me show you just how far you still have to go!" A golden magic circle appeared beneath his feet, crackling with lightning.

"Ah, so you did manage to get that far on your own," Azura nodded as the circle enveloped him in light and sent his power level even higher. "I'm surprised you could in a world that's so… lacking in adequate fighters."

"You underestimate them, it'll be your last mistake," Gorun replied as he completed the Super Saiyan 2 ascension. "Actually, no, that was underestimating me."

"Ha!" Azura snorted. "You really thought I would have come here if I wasn't confident that I could drag you back to the Time Patrol and have you answer for your crimes against it?"

"I am answering for my crime," the boy snapped, lightning dancing across his brow as it bent downward. "The Supreme Kai of Time herself sentenced me to exile, here on Earthland. You're not here to drag me back because doing so would be in direct conflict with her orders."

"You're a danger to the timeline of this reality!" Azura screamed at him, her own power level rising rapidly. "The longer you stay, the more the scrolls that record its history will be warped! As a Time Patroller, I cannot allow it!"

"It's not your decision to make!" Gorun shouted back.

"There is no decision to be made, by you or me!" she shrieked. "I _will_ protect time, no matter what it takes!" A magic circle matching the one that Gorun had recently conjured appeared beneath her feet, causing his eyes to widen.

"You too?" he asked, even as he took a ready stance against her.

"Goku surpassed Vegeta, so why shouldn't I be able to surpass you?" she growled at him as her own body ascended to the second form. Her hair flew about more wildly than before and the lightning coming off of her body seemed especially thick around it. "Now let's see what you've really got… _Kaidon._ "

"I still hate that name!" he spat as he prepared to charge forward once again.

* * *

Down below, in the remnants of the guild's mess hall, Fairy Tail had its hands full. Wendy was busy trying to keep Erza alive from the stab wound that had been dealt to her stomach, but she could tell that the S-class mage was fading fast. Unfortunately, though, everyone else had their own issues to worry about.

The group of assassins that had come with Azura to attack Fairy Tail, now calling themselves the 'Carbuncle' guild, had resumed their own assault after Gorun took his battle with the other Super Saiyan to the sky.

Cannon was keeping the already-battered wizards away from them with multiple firearms, letting loose with ammunition strong enough to even break through Gray's ice shields. Chase was engaged in battle with Elfman, though it was going quite poorly for the takeover wizard, who had already sustained multiple cuts from the shadowy wizard's blades. Coordinator turned out to be a requip wizard with a repertoire that could rival Erza's, a fact she used to her advantage as she held off Mirajane's she-devil form.

Only their leader had yet to take any direct action. He seemed content to simply watch the battle unfold before him, but those that did manage to catch glimpses of him in between the action would have done well to guess that he seemed to be… searching for something?

"Ah…" he said at last, waving his right hand in an upward motion. "There you are." Without warning, every Fairy Tail wizard in his line of sight began floating toward what was left of the ceiling, except for Éclair. "Chase," Dyst muttered in a bored tone.

The shadow wizard grunted and dodged a final swipe from Elfman's claws as he ran at the girl, striking her swiftly on the head to knock her out. In a fluid movement, he scooped her up over his shoulder and began retreating toward his leader.

"No, you can't take her!" Lucy screamed.

"Let her go!" Natsu roared. " _Fire Dragon Sword Horn!_ " Cocooned in flames, he powered through the telekinesis holding him in place against a support beam, making a straight shot for Chase.

He was only inches away from being able to grab the assassin's cloak when the telekinetic force changed abruptly to force him into the ground. Wood cracked as his body broke through the floor, causing many of his comrades to wince at the sight and sound.

"Stay down, peasant," Dyst said disdainfully.

"Rrgh…" Natsu snarled as he forced himself to his feet, causing the members of Carbuncle- save for their leader- to take a step back in surprise. "You're tryin' to take one of us…" he said angrily. "I won't let you!"

"Your compliance isn't a factor, Salamander," Dyst drawled, jerking his hand in a downward motion, causing Natsu's entire body to bury itself in rubble rather violently. Another twitch of his wrist sent Natsu slamming into the rafters. He repeated this motion several times, until the light of consciousness had left the fire wizard's eyes. Dyst then repeated the motion a few more times, just to be safe, before he let Natsu and everyone else go, watching with detached interest as they fell among the rubble that had once been their home.

"Let's go," he ordered as they turned to leave. "There's no fight left in them."

"What about that blue-haired-"

"I have a plan in mind for her, I assure you," the leader of the group said sharply, interrupting Coordinator. "She will not get away with what she has done to us."

"Neither will you!" a young voice grunted from near the retreating figures. Before any of them could pinpoint which wizard had addressed them, the same person shouted, " _Scorching Masenko!_ " A beam of orange fire struck Dyst in the side, and a small explosion scattered the assassins, causing Chase to lose his grip on Éclair as he stumbled.

Romeo stood atop one of the larger piles of rubble, his hands smoking with the remnants of the magic he had cast, panting heavily from the beating he had just taken in combination with the amount of energy he had exerted. "Take that… you stupid…" He let out a sigh and fainted, the ordeal becoming too much for his young body to handle.

"Romeo!" his father shouted as he rushed over to be at his side.

"You little piss head!" Cannon snarled. Being the first one to get up, he turned and aimed three separate cannons at the boy and his father, who paled rapidly as he realized that he was staring his death in the face. "Rest in itty bitty pieces!"

"Libra! Stop him!" Yukino cried desperately as she held out the appropriate key.

"As you wish," the zodiac spirit replied as she swept her arms out to the sides and held them there, almost in a dancer's pose. Cannon's guns immediately flew in separate directions, their gravity altered to now be repelled away from him.

"Hey, hey now!" the beefy man protested. "Nobody's gonna play with my guns but me!" He turned and pointed his main firearm, the one in his hands, right at Yukino. "Nighty-night, little girl," he sneered.

"You like guns?!" a new voice interjected, causing him to hesitate and turn to see who was addressing him. He had a split second to realize that it was the purple-haired girl that had run away earlier before she added, "Try this one; _Gallick Gun, FIRE!_ " A purple laser punched straight through his beloved cannon when he instinctively raised his hands to block the attack.

"No!" he shouted as he recoiled, nursing the remnants of his favored weapon, ignoring the serious abrasions in his flesh as he did. "Not my baby!"

"Believe us, that's going to be the least of your problems in a moment." The other members of Carbuncle were now mostly recovered, and were very surprised to see Erza walking into the middle of the whole mess, looking as though she had never been stabbed at all. Also plain to see was the seething anger in her eyes. "You wounded our guild, tried to take our comrade from us. There will be severe repercussions."

"How is she standing?" Coordinator grunted as Wendy came to stand beside her and Kinana. "Crazy-eyes up there stabbed you through at least your intestines. You should have bled out!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but we're a lot harder to put down than that," Erza replied with a cold smile, though she silently thanked Gorun for saving his senzu beans as he had over the last year. "Now, are you ready to meet your maker?"

Dyst glared at her, eyes burning with cold anger. "Chase," he muttered. "We're leaving. Let the girl handle them." The shadow wizard nodded, then snatched up Éclair again with a grunt and began making his way over to the others.

" _Dodon Ray!_ " Kinana shouted, sending a laser flying from her pointer and middle fingers in an attempt to at least slow him down. The man dissolved into shadow, avoiding the attack, and taking Éclair into the darkness with him. "He's getting away!" the girl shouted desperately to Erza, who conjured a dozen swords and sent them soaring at the Carbuncle wizards.

Coordinator sneered at the other requip wizard, even as she stretched out her hand. In a burst of sparks, Erza's swords and armor disappeared, shocking everyone present, Titania most of all. "She can undo my requips?!" she shouted, dumbfounded.

"Don't come looking for us," Dyst told them. "You'll only meet the same fate as the girl."

"No, you can't take Éclair!" Momon shouted, trying in vain to reach out to his friend. The leader of the assassins flicked his wrist at the yellow bird, sending him flying into a support beam, knocking him out instantly. Then Chase reached them and enveloped the group in his shadow, taking them to who-knew-where.

" _Éclair!_ " Lucy screamed.

* * *

Gorun's sensitive ears picked up on the scream, even from as high up as he was, and he could guess at the reason behind it. "I don't have time for you," he snarled at his opponent, raising his hands above his head. " _Masenko!_ "

" _Tyrant Lance!_ " she countered, her attack negating his instantly. But that was the instant he needed to get away, zooming back toward his guild at mach speed.

 _Hold on guys, I'm on my way!_ He promised, now level with some of the wispy clouds dotting the sky over the city.

"You're not going _anywhere!_ " Azura shouted just before she slammed into him from above, her knees striking in the small of his back where his kidneys were located.

He gasped and coughed up blood as a searing pain spread to every corner of his body, making it difficult to even remain conscious, let alone in Super Saiyan 2. Yet somehow he found the will to hang on and maintain his current power. Placing his fingers on his head, he engaged instant transmission and reversed the situation, made it so that he was the one striking down from above, his foot connecting solidly with her head, sending her downward at an increased velocity. As she was sent further down, he could see the guild in ruins below them, and he resolved to end the fight quickly.

"You will not be getting another chance at that trick again," Azura spat up at him, furious with herself that she had forgotten that Gorun could teleport. It wasn't a skill she had honed, and now she was beginning to regret it a bit. Still, he hadn't used it to regroup with his comrades, so that was something.

Not that they would have been able to stop her, anyway.

"I don't need to," the male Saiyan-human hybrid replied pithily. "I'm ending this- _you_ \- if you don't get out of the way and let me rescue Éclair."

"Can't do that," Azura shrugged. "This is the way things would have played out, you being unable to interfere and all. You're not damaging this timeline any more than you already have, Kaidon."

"Watch me!" Gorun bellowed, his hatred and power only growing as he realized that he was already too late. He couldn't sense Éclair's strange energy anywhere, which either meant that she was dead, or gone far enough away to be beyond his senses. Either way, the guild had failed to protect her. _He_ had failed to protect her. "Last chance to leave, or _you're done for_!"

"I'd be saying your goodbyes while your friends are still in earshot," Azura replied mockingly from a few feet away as she floated up to be level with her enemy. "Because this next minute is the last one you'll ever spend in this world."

"You always did know how to push my buttons," Gorun replied as he braced himself. "And here I was, telling them that I would never use this power if I could avoid it." An even bigger gold magic circle, this one practically erupting with lightning, appeared underneath his feet as he let out a resounding shout and the earth beneath them began to shake.

Azura raised an eyebrow as she felt his power level multiply yet again, nodding to herself, almost as if in satisfaction. "Super Saiyan 3," she murmured. "So it is true… I suppose the Saiyan blood in your body hasn't been completely wasted." The transformation was not one seen often, even among the ranks of the Time Patrol. Other than Goku, Lettis, Gotenks, and Bardock, there were only seven saiyans and saiyan-hybrids that had ever accomplished the form.

"Not even… you can do this," Gorun panted as he finished the transformation, his eyebrows gone and his hair reaching down past his waistline. "You're finished, Azura." He was in pain, and already tiring, but it wasn't as bad as before, when he fought Zirconis. _I can maintain this for maybe three minutes if I can avoid wasting too much energy,_ he thought as he resumed his combat stance.

"You're right, I can't do that," Azura nodded as she dropped her own combat pose, her hair and eyes returning to their normal azure shades. By all appearances, she was about to surrender, but Gorun held his transformation and stance steady. He, of all people, knew that Azura did not give up that easily.

 _What is she up to…?_

As if she could hear him, she smiled coldly and said, "I don't have to rely on that tiring form. Honestly, it's almost worse than that lumberjack transformation that Trunks used against Cell. I've got something far superior to utilize in situations like this."

"You can't go Super Saiyan 4 without a tail and a full moon, or overexposure to synthetic blutz waves, none of which you possess," Gorun smirked, still confident that he had the upper hand, whatever she was planning. "So tell me exactly how you plan to beat me without access to higher powers?"

"I don't need higher powers anymore, Kaidon," Azura smirked back. "Because one of them in particular already helped me prepare to defeat you, once and for all. The Elder Kai is very much looking forward to seeing you receive your punishment for stealing his rings and destroying his property."

"Elder Kai?" Gorun repeated, confused. "What does he-?" Suddenly, he jerked in place, his eyes widening. "He wouldn't."

"He did," Azura laughed, her delight all too evident as a grey-crystalline magic circle appeared beneath her feet. A burst of wind drew her hair upward for a moment, and then the magic circle was gone.

To the untrained eye, Gorun's transformation looked far more impressive, ablaze with energy and radiating raw, untamed power as he was. However, a more keen observer would note that while Azura's outward appearance had not changed, her power level was now in a league that surpassed even Gorun's. Just as he had with Gohan so many years ago, the Elder Kai had unlocked Azura's hidden potential, and now there was no telling just how powerful she could become.

"Now… let's see, once and for all, just who the most powerful descendant of Kakarot and Vegeta is!" she declared, bringing her hands to her side. " _Kame…_ " Blue light flared between her fingers, reflecting on the wild grin that she wore.

Knowing he had no choice but to play out the trap that he had walked himself into, Gorun mimicked her actions, growling out, " _Hame…_ " A blue ball of luminance that matched Azura's came to life between his own hands, growing by the second.

" _HA!_ "

* * *

Down below, Magnolia was in chaos. Not only were the shockwaves from the twin Super Saiyan 2's bad enough to shatter windows and destroy a lot of household items, the now-Super Saiyan 3 squaring off against the full-powered Azura was causing even more damage to the city buildings, especially since Gorun had unwittingly brought them closer to the area.

"This is madness!" Carla shouted to be heard above the noise. "One Super Saiyan was destructive enough, now there's two of 'em?!"

"We gotta break their stalemate!" Kinana shouted back. "Gorun won't last much longer against her!"

"I thought he said he could beat her!" Gray called out.

"I know he did, but whatever she's doing now, it's made her stronger than him- by a lot!" the barmaid replied. "I can read power levels better than anyone here except Gorun, trust me! He needs help!"

"Then… we'll give it to him…" The others were surprised to see a bloodied Natsu getting to his feet with a shaky grin on his face. "Gorun's a Fairy Tail wizard… And none of us should ever have… to fight alone."

"Then let's quit gawkin' and show that new chick why you don't mess with our guild," a familiar voice said.

* * *

Gorun knew that it was only a matter of seconds. He was tiring too quickly in his current form, and Azura's power showed no signs of waning. If anything, the more tired he seemed to be, the stronger she was getting. Her etherion waves were only a few feet away from his hands now, and as soon as they broke through his own attack, he knew he was finished.

 _Kinana… I'm so sorry,_ he thought, closing his eyes, his aching arms beginning to droop. _I let you down…_

"Say goodbye to this world, Kaidon!" Azura shouted with a delighted gleam in her eyes. "You'll never see it again!"

"His name is Gorun!" A new voice caused both of them to give a start of surprise, even as a flash of green and purple appeared beside Gorun to glare at Azura. "And he's staying right where he belongs!"

"Who are-?" Azura began, but the words died in her throat as three more people flew up to be beside their comrades, each one carried by a flying cat. All three were emitting respectable power levels- nowhere near Gorun and Azura individually, but together…

"You cost us one friend, and we ain't losin' another!" Natsu roared through his bloodied lips, his hands resting by his right side.

"Gorun saved my life, and I don't want him to leave!" Wendy cried, wind whipping around her hands as she raised them skyward. Her Dragon Force was in effect, her pink hair flying about wildly in the air currents generated by her magic.

"I dunno what's goin' on here, but I got from the others that you helped wreck our guild hall," Gajeel said with a nasty grin as he raised his right hand above his head. "Lemme tell you from experience, kid- you're gonna end up hurting from that a lot more than we are." He had just returned from a mission out of town, and was still itching for some action, it seemed. Like Wendy, he too had engaged his Dragon Force for the showdown with Azura.

"I suggest you leave before I blast you all away along with Kaidon," Azura sneered at them. "With power levels like that, it's a wonder you don't-"

"Magic power isn't everything!" Kinana shouted, several red magic circles spawning overhead. "Five-layer magic circle: _Kaioken!_ " Her energies spiked according to the enhancement, and she readied her most powerful attack to fight alongside her boyfriend.

"No…" he grunted. "Get away, all of you! You can't… fight her!"

"Not alone, no," Kinana replied as she locked eyes with him. "But together, with you… We're Fairy Tail, Gorun! Show her what that means!"

"It means it's lights out for you, kids!" Azura shouted at them, unleashing a new onslaught of etherion at them.

" _Gallick Gun!_ " Kinana cried, retaliating with her own magic power. Her beam flew alongside Gorun's, then merged with the attack, slowing Azura's Kamehameha down marginally.

"It's… not enough!" Gorun shouted, shaking his head. "Please…! I can't see you all get hurt by her, too!"

"And we can't leave our guild mate alone for this fight!" Natsu laughed. "C'mon, man! After every time you've been there for us, we're not lettin' you go down like this! Besides, you still gotta show me how to do all your crazy magic attacks!" The flames growing between his fingers swelled to the size of a melon before he thrust his hands forward, shouting, "Fire Dragon _Kamehameha!_ " Just like Kinana's, his attack ran parallel to his comrade's, then merged with it, countering their enemy's energy.

Only now, instead of just slowing the attack, Azura's Kamehameha was being held in a deadlock, much to the blue-haired girl's astonishment. "No, this isn't possible!" she shouted at them.

"Sky Dragon… _Double Sunday!_ " Wendy shouted, sending twin cyclones into the mix, and forcing the other Saiyan's energy back at a steady pace when she did.

"You guys…" Gorun said, eyes wide with wonder. "How…?"

"I think with all your focus in battle centering on becoming the next level of Super Saiyan, you forgot one really important fact," Kinana told him with a slightly pained smile. "You're part human, too. And who says we can't become as strong as the Saiyans, given time?"

"Yeah…" the blond boy said with a tired grin. "You know… You're right, Kinana. Thank you."

"All right, enough with the mushy crap!" Gajeel shouted, a metal circle now floating above his head. "Time for the finale to this fight! Iron Dragon _Destructo-Disc!_ " Unlike the other attacks from the dragon slayers, however, his did not run parallel to the colliding energy beams. His flew up, around, and back down toward Azura, whose eyes widened.

Abandoning her attack, she flung her arms outward, an explosion of blue ki knocking the iron Kienzan off-course, away from her neck. The technique was even powerful enough to knock the combined Kamehameha skyward, saving both herself and the people down below in Magnolia, though the latter was more of an afterthought than a desired effect. However, in her haste to avoid getting beheaded, she seemed to forget, even if only for a second, that there was a very angry group consisting of a Super Saiyan 3, his even angrier girlfriend, and three dragons slayers paired with their exceeds still out to get her.

They had her surrounded in a flash, each of them striking with their own respective elements in such rapid succession that she did not have a moment to formulate a counterattack strategy. Though no matter how fast and fierce they struck, Azura's unleashed potential was just enough to keep them all at bay, and Gorun knew that his time was nearly up for his current form. They needed something to break the stalemate, and quickly, or else-

 _Tzak!_ There was a flash of light, and just like that, Azura disappeared.

Gorun had to force himself to stop mid-strike in order to avoid hitting Gajeel, and Natsu barely managed to avoid blasting Wendy. "Uh… what?" the Saiyan boy asked, looking around wildly for their quarry. He could still sense her power signature close by, but at the same time it seemed barely present.

"Down here!" a tired voice called up. The group looked down to see Cana waving up at them, beckoning them to come closer.

Gorun, sensing that the fight was over for the moment, let out a sigh of relief as he released the power running through him. He sagged and nearly began to fall back toward the guild hall, but Kinana caught him up, looking only a little less tired than he did. Apparently using the Kaioken five times over was still a difficult task for her, though he didn't blame her. Any fight against Azura would be exhausting, he knew, and he had the benefit of being able to stand on equal ground with her- or at least, he used to.

"Everyone okay?" Cana asked as they descended into the remnants of the guild hall. Natsu nearly collapsed as soon as his feet touched the ground, but Wendy and Happy helped him stand.

"We're bruised, but we'll live," Kinana answered as Gorun sat on some rubble, every muscle and bone in his body aching badly. "What happened to that girl?"

"Sorry about that," Cana grinned ruefully as she held up one of her tarot cards, the back facing them. "I was hit by some of the rocks, and I didn't come to until a minute ago. Took me that long to cast a seal on her since her magical strength was even higher than Gorun's. If you hadn't managed to hold her in one place, it woulda taken me a lot longer, too." She flipped the item around to reveal Azura, red-faced, and very much trapped within the card.

"Whoa," Gajeel said, his eyes widening in a rare mixture of surprise and respect. "You can do that?"

"Yep, and no matter how strong the target is, they can't get out until either I let 'em out, or I get killed," Cana smirked. "Drawback is that it takes longer to cast on people that are stronger than me, but once it's done, it's done."

"Very impressive," Gorun panted heavily. "What do I owe you for the assist?"

"Just some answers," the brunette shrugged. "I wanna know what the deal is with this girl. I thought you told us that no one else was coming to this world from yours."

"You got me," the Saiyan boy replied wearily. "The Supreme Kai of Time has never gone back on her word before, which leads me to believe that Azura here wasn't acting on orders." He glared at the card holding the girl, who glared right back at him. "Well?" he demanded after a tense moment of silence between them.

"I'm going to get out of here, and when I do, your ass is going right back to Conton!" she shouted at him.

"Sheesh, this chick's stubborn," Gajeel scowled at the miniaturized Saiyan. "What's her deal? She seemed to really have it out for you, kid." He looked over at Gorun as he spoke, who shifted uncomfortably.

"It's a long and complicated story," he replied. "Basically, she was always trying to compete against me to win the approval of our common ancestor, Vegeta. I never had much interest in the rivalry she tried to generate between us, and it didn't help her that she was never able to beat me in combat."

"I would have beaten you if these wizards hadn't gotten in the way!" Azura fumed.

"Another contributing factor is the fact that we have nearly identical ancestries," Gorun continued, acting as though he hadn't heard. "Both of us are descended from Goku and Vegeta, but whereas the Trunks in my family tree went on to help found the Time Patrol, her ancestor was the one that fought the fallen kai, Zamasu, and went on to marry Mai, instead of finding his way to the Time Nest."

"I don't follow," Cana frowned. "Aren't they still the same guy?"

"Originally, yes, but because of the fractured timelines, they took different journeys," Gorun answered. "Their names and origins may be the same, and their appearances almost identical, but the Trunks that runs the Time Patrol leads a very different life to the one that went on to have a family with Mai."

"Why does the pedigree matter, though?" Cana asked, still feeling like she was missing something. "Who cares if you both have the same great-grandpas?"

"She does," Gorun replied, pointing accusingly at Azura. "See, we were the only two people being raised to join the Time Patrol with not only such distinguished ancestors, but with family trees nearly identical to one another. Genora here didn't like sharing the spotlight, I guess."

"Genora?" Kinana repeated. "I thought you said her name was Azura? She _is_ the girl you told us about before, right?"

"Saiyan hybrids are given two names at birth," the trapped girl answered, drawing everyone's attention back to her. "One is bestowed upon us by our parents, and our other, by the ruler of our kind. Azura is my human title, and Genora, the name given to me by Prince Vegeta."

"So… when she called you Kaidon…" Kinana said slowly.

Gorun flinched and muttered quietly, "Please don't call me that."

"That's your name, idiot," Azura smirked from within her prison. "Whether you like it or not."

"No, my name is Son Gorun!" the boy snarled, attempting to rise, then sitting back down when his joints and muscles shrieked in protest. Grunting, he added, "I am not… a Saiyan barbarian… I'm Gorun of Fairy Tail."

"You've simply been living in a fairy tale," Azura sniffed. "But no matter which way you try to slice it, you've got the same blood in your veins as me. The power of a Super Saiyan runs through you, and you seem to have no problem showing it off. But the minute someone brings up bloodlines, you get all huffy! I thi- _ow_!" The yelp was drawn out of her when Cana shook the card suddenly, apparently causing her to smack her head on whatever her prison was made out of.

"No one asked you, pint-size," she told the shrunken girl. Looking back at Gorun, she asked, "So what, she just wanted a fight to see who's the best?"

"She said she was going to drag me back to the Time Patrol," the Saiyan boy grumbled. "Which doesn't make any kind of sense. The Supreme Kai of Time banished me to this world. I can't go back, even if I wanted to, on pain of death." He glared at the card containing Azura for emphasis.

"Decrees can change," the girl shot back. "And I got the Elder Kai backing me. Your return is on his authority."

"Yeah, no…" a lilting, girlish voice said, startling everyone present, as it did not belong to anyone in the guild. It did, however, cause Gorun to nearly have a heart attack.

"I thought things between us were settled!" he cried as a small figure appeared in their midst.

"They are," Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time said as she grinned up at him. "You're not in trouble with me this time, Gorun."

"Oh thank Zeno," he said with a huge sigh of relief.

"Gorun, is this…?" Kinana asked, her eyes wide as she looked upon the short, pink-skinned kai.

"Hiya!" Chronoa said with a charming smile as she faced Kinana. "I'm Gorun's grandma, and I assume you're the nice young lady he's become really fond of? Nice to meet ya!" She held out a hand, which Kinana shook hesitantly.

Azura, Gorun noticed, had fallen silent within her card, looking both confused and apprehensive at the sudden appearance of her master.

"Er-hem," a gravelly voice interrupted as Kinana and Chronoa released hands. "Care to explain what all this is about?" Makarov asked with a raised eyebrow. "I know the guild hall was destroyed by the same people that took Éclair, but the young wizard trapped in the card is news to me. Not to mention this young lady…" He eyed Chronoa, but unlike usual, his gaze was respectful, if not apprehensive. Clearly, he could sense that there was something about her that warned him not to try anything funny.

 _At least he's smarter than Elder Kai in that regard,_ Gorun thought to himself as Chronoa approached the wizened guild master.

"Ooh, you're Gorun's guild master!" she said with a bright smile as she stopped in front of the man, her own height actually matching his. "Hello there! He used to work for me, but I guess life here as a wizard was more exciting, huh?"

"So you would be…?" Makarov said slowly, his eyes widening.

"I'm the Supreme Kai of Time!" Chronoa said cheerily. "I guess Gorun's told you guys about me, huh?"

"A bit, yeah…" Gray said warily. "He said that the last time he saw you, there was a god of destruction following."

"Oh Beerus?" she giggled. "He's not here today. Just little ol' me!"

"We are honored by your presence, great Kai," Erza said with a deep bow to the lady. "But what brings you so far, and when we are so ill-equipped to receive you?"

"Yeah, sorry about all this," the ancient goddess said with a wince. "It's partly my fault, so I'll fix it up. Here, just gimme a sec." She clicked her fingers, and everyone in Fairy Tail- save for Gorun- staggered back as they felt a wave of power beyond anything they had ever experienced wash over them and their city.

When it was done and the resulting glow had faded, the guild hall was good as new, and they suspected that the rest of Magnolia looked to be the same. "Okeedoke, that's that," Chronoa grinned.

"My lady, your gift is a generous one indeed, but…" Makarov began, then hesitated until the kai indicated for him to continue. "You bear no blame in this, none at all! Why help us?"

"Well, it _is_ my fault, because apparently I don't keep a very good eye on my agents," Chronoa sighed as she turned back to look at Azura, who was still being held by Cana. Holding out her hand, she asked, "May I see that?"

Cana raised an eyebrow at Gorun, who nodded quickly. The brunette handed over the prison containing Azura, who knelt within the card toward her master without a word. "This is some handy work," Chronoa mused as she turned the card this way and that, studying it. "I could use this in the Time Patrol… But first things first, I need you to let her out."

"Er, Grandma?" Gorun said, still hesitating a little bit over the form of address. "I'm pretty sure she still wants to knock my lights out…"

"I won't let her," she reassured him. Looking down at the card in her hand, Chronoa added in a stern voice, "No fighting, Azura, with him or anyone here. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am," the girl replied stiffly, still in her bowed position.

"Good," the petite kai said, satisfied. Looking back at Cana, she added, "Let her out now, please." Cana needed no further urging, waving her hand over the card and releasing Azura from it. There was a brief glow, and when it faded, the blue-haired Saiyan had appeared, still kneeling before Chronoa.

"Azura, I am very disappointed in you," the ages-old kai said sternly. "You went against a very explicit order of mine, and worse, you've tried to justify it."

"Elder Kai agreed with me that further damage to the timeline should be-"

"Elder Kai is no longer working at the Time Nest," Chronoa interrupted her swiftly. "What he thinks doesn't bear any weight in how the Time Patrol is run anymore."

"What?" Azura gasped, though her gaze remained lowered.

"He's been replaced by King Kai from an alternate timeline we had to repair recently," the magenta kai informed them. "One where Broly destroyed the North Galaxy instead of the south."

"But why-"

"Innumerable sexual harassment complaints made me realize that asking him for help was a bad idea to begin with, not to mention he's always annoying Lord Beerus," Chronoa deadpanned. "Also, he went against my wishes by helping you come after Gorun, and as the master of the Time Nest, I will _not_ be undermined by anyone, kai or patroller. I believe that King Kai will be a lot more reasonable to work with, and Goku practically begged me to let him have the job."

"I didn't mean to-"

"What?" Chronoa demanded sharply, cutting off her charge. "You didn't mean to disobey? Undermine my authority as the commander of the Time Patrol? Harm the timeline? Guess what, Azura, you've done exactly that!"

"But _he's_ the one who-" She started to point at Gorun, but she was again cut off by a now-angry kai.

"He has my permission to be here!" she snapped, cutting off the girl. "I allowed him to alter the original timeline with his presence! Who are you to say that my decision was made poorly?! You forget your place, Azura!"

"I only sought to do my duty, and defend the original course of history!" Azura said, an edge of fear creeping into her voice. "That is what my entire existence has been devoted to!"

"No, I don't think so," Chronoa replied firmly. "Ever since you and Gorun were little, you entire goal has been to surpass him. Becoming an elite Time Patroller was merely a by-product of that chosen path, not your primary objective. You didn't come here to protect time. You came to prove yourself."

"Master, I-"

"No," the female kai said with a negative shake of her head. "I gave everyone in the patrol specific orders _not_ to come after him. Why that happens to be is none of your business. But, since you seem so desperate to have your rivalry with him, even if it means going against the commands of the Supreme Kai of Time, maybe I should give you what you want."

"Sorry, _what_?!" Gorun yelped, even as Azura's eyes finally went up to meet Chronoa's.

"Gorun, please be quiet," his grandmother ordered. "Azura clearly wants a rivalry with you more than she wants to be a Time Patroller. So that's what she'll get."

"Wait, Supreme Kai-"

"You be quiet, too, Azura," she said firmly, her voice cracking like a whip. "You brought this on yourself. Remember that."

"I don't-"

"Just like Gorun, you are banished from Conton City, now, and until the end of time," Chronoa proclaimed. "You will live out the rest of your days here, on Earthland, in the charge of the former Time Patroller Kaidon." Gorun flinched at the name, but he did not voice any protests he may or may not have had as Azura sagged visibly, her eyes dropping from her now-former master's. "Azura, for disobeying a direct order from the Master of the Time Nest, you are hereby relieved of duty, and no longer welcomed as a Time Patroller in Conton City."

It was all the blue-haired girl could do to nod miserably in defeat. Seeing that the message had been driven home, Chronoa turned back to Makarov, who looked dumbfounded at the proceedings. "I would ask that your guild look after her," she told the old man. "I'll be keeping an eye on her to make sure that she doesn't cause you any trouble, but she's just as skilled as Gorun, if not more so. Maybe if she and him can work out their differences, she could make a good addition to your guild."

"Is this a job request?" the old man asked, blinking a couple of times in surprise.

"More a personal request," Chronoa shrugged. "Though if you're still feeling indebted to me because I fixed the city, you can think of this as working off your debt." She added the last part with a friendly smile.

"Well… All right," he nodded in agreement. "We'll take charge of her, then."

"Hold on!" Gorun protested, drawing the attention of the two leaders. "She tries to kidnap me, helps blow up half the city, and we're supposed to just take her in?!"

"Wouldn't be the first time these morons do something like that," Gajeel called over from where he was now resting, apparently content to sit back and watch.

Not wanting to concede, Gorun turned back to his grandmother, who had an impish grin on her face. Suddenly, something inside his head clicked, and he muttered, "This is part of my punishment for running away, isn't it?"

"Wasn't planning on her doing all this, but I guess that it works out to that end," the little kai said in a conspirator's tone. "Now, I think I'll be on my way home…"

"Wait, grandmother," Gorun said, following her as she began to walk toward the exit. "I have a question- nothing to do with the Time Patrol, I promise."

"What's up?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Which universe is this?" he inquired. "Ever since I came here, I've been wondering which reality I've come to."

"Oh that's easy," Chronoa giggled. "This is universe seventeen."

Gorun stopped in his tracks, not sure that he had heard her correctly. "Sorry, what?" he asked. "Did you say this is still universe seven?"

"Nope!" his grandmother chirped. "This is the seventeenth reality of the multiverse."

"But…" the ex-Time Patroller shook his head, confused. "I thought that there were only twelve universes…?"

Chronoa paused and looked back at him before asking, "Remember how the Tournament of Power ended?"

"Android 17 made a wish for the universes that had been erased to be brought back," Gorun answered swiftly. "Wait… Are you saying…?"

"He specifically asked for _all_ the universes that had been erased to be brought back, so that's exactly what Super Shenron did," the ancient goddess nodded. "That wish also brought back the six universes that had been erased by Zeno so long ago. For those that weren't aware of the erasure, it was as though no time at all had passed, which is why no one on this world would have known about it."

Gorun whistled, surprised. "That's crazy," he murmured.

"Yeah-huh," Chronoa grinned. "Well, that's all the time I've got. If I ever visit again, hopefully it's not to banish another person to this world."

"Please no…" Gorun begged. "I'm already dreading what Azura will bring to this place."

"Hey, she's your problem now," the small kai smirked. "See ya!" With a flash of light, she vanished, returning to the Time Patrol.

That didn't stop Gorun from yelling after her, "No crime deserves this punishment!"

* * *

Later that afternoon, Teams Natsu, Gajeel, and Golden Tail were in a meeting with Makarov, Azura seated at the end of one of their long tables in the storage room. "So…" the old man mused, having just been caught up on everything that had happened while he was at the convention with the other Wizard Saints and Magic Council. "What to do? We must rescue Éclair, that much is certain. We also need to figure out what to do with our new friend here."

"If you are to make me a prisoner or execute me, just do it already," Azura said bitterly. "I have no reason to fight anymore."

"Pfft," Gorun snorted, amused. "Some Saiyan you are. One setback and you're done?"

"This isn't a setback, Kaidon!" the girl snapped, rising to her feet abruptly. Before she could speak any further, nearly every wizard in the room was ready to launch a spell at her if she made a wrong move. Glaring at each of them in turn until her gaze rested on Gorun, she added, "There is nothing for me after this. I didn't just want to be a better fighter than you, I wanted to be the greatest Time Patroller there ever has been, or ever will be! Surpassing you, the poster boy for the order, would have been the best way to do that, but you had to go and ruin everything by running away!"

"Sorry if I wanted my own destiny," the boy replied sarcastically. "But no one ever asked me if I wanted to be a Time Patroller, they just assumed I would be because of my parents!"

"So the solution was to run away from-"

"Enough!" Makarov shouted, grabbing everyone's attention. "While you two bicker over things that should already be settled, Éclair's life is at risk! Get some perspective!"

"…Sorry, master," Gorun said with a short bow to the old man. "You're right. What's our plan of action?"

"Gajeel has some information that should be helpful," the guild master replied, gesturing to the dragon slayer to speak. He gave Azura a look simultaneously that warned her to be quiet. The girl made a face at him, but she made no threatening moves. Apparently, there really was no fight left in her.

"We were doing a job up in Veronica, a small province north of Fiore," Gajeel began. "We overheard Carbuncle talking about a kidnapping, and how some duke wanted it done so that he could get his hands on some kind of special stone."

"The phoenix stone that Éclair was wearing," Lucy realized aloud.

Gajeel nodded, but it was Pantherlily that spoke up this time. "Apparently, he wants to use it and its twin at the ceremony that marks Veronica's four-hundredth year of existence in order to release the legendary phoenix," he explained. "That's in a couple of days, so if we're going to rescue Éclair before then, we need to leave tonight at the latest. Based on what Levy's told me, if those stones get put back together, and the phoenix gets revived, it ain't gonna be good news for anybody."

"It would need to be a small group that goes, since we can't risk a war with Veronica," Makarov cautioned.

"I'm betting that everyone on both our teams is gonna want to go," Gray observed, glancing at the others. "But that seems a little large for a small team."

"Gajeel and Pantherlily should go, provided they want to," Gorun said. "They've been up there already, so they would know the lay of the land better than the rest of us."

"A good point," Erza nodded. "You and I should go as well, Gorun, seeing as we have the greatest amount of combat experience."

"I won't argue with that," the boy nodded. "I'm throwing my vote behind Natsu and Gray as our other heavy hitters."

"I'd be glad to go," Gray said as he cracked his knuckles.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu grinned.

"What about the rest of us?" Kinana asked. "Do you think we should stay here?"

"Hmm…" Gorun mused aloud. "Like master said, we need to keep this operation small. If we're taking any more members, I'd want to take Wendy along since she can heal those of us that get wounded." He gave his girlfriend an apologetic look, but she waved it off- the choice was a logical one, even if she didn't like it.

"How about a compromise?" Yukino suggested. "The rest of us go with you to Veronica by train, and stay on the outskirts of the city as backup in case something goes wrong?"

Gorun and Kinana exchanged another glance before sharing in a nod. "That works for me," the purple-haired girl said.

"Why take a train?" Romeo pointed out. "We can just use instant transmission to get there, right Gorun?"

"Normally I would, but I need a strong power level to lock onto if I'm travelling any long distances," Gorun explained. "I don't think there's anyone in Veronica with a high enough power level for that to work."

"Rats," the younger boy muttered.

"Hey, it was a good suggestion," his leader said with a grin. "You're trying, and that's what counts in my book." Romeo smiled back at him while Azura rolled her eyes at them both.

"You're all idiots," she muttered.

"Look lady, if you don't have anything helpful to add, keep your pie hole shut," Lucy snapped. "We've got a friend to rescue, which is your fault! If you hadn't shown up and taken Gorun away from the fight, we woulda crushed those guys!"

"You're talking about going up against an entire city-state with just a half-dozen wizards," Azura replied thinly. "You'd never make it past the guards on the outer walls."

"We can if we go in during the celebration, when they've got more troops keeping an eye on the parades," Gray countered. "There'd be a skeleton guard on the walls at best."

"Then it's easier to lose them in the crowds," Gorun added. "We make our way to wherever they plan on using these stones- and if we're lucky, where they're keeping Éclair- and get to work causing a disruption."

"A Fairy Tail specialty," Erza smiled.

"You're just assuming that everything will go according to your plan," Azura said flatly. "It won't. Something always goes wrong. Not to mention those people that I came here with will easily overwhelm any of you besides Kaidon."

"My name is Gorun," the boy growled.

"Whatever," she snapped. "Point is, you're all going to get yourself killed, and for what? Some girl you barely know?"

"Yeah," Natsu growled at her. "That's exactly what we're gonna do. Know why?"

"I'm sure this is going to be asinine, but I'll humor you," the saiyan girl sighed. "Why?"

"Because we're Fairy Tail," Natsu said as he bore his emblem proudly. "We've got a friend in need, and a score to settle. That Car-bucko guild won't know what hit 'em."

"You could… come with us," Gorun offered reluctantly.

"…What?" Azura asked slowly, not sure that she'd heard him right.

"Come see what we're all about," Gorun told her. "It's not like you have anything better to do, and grandmother told me to keep an eye on you."

"You must be out of your mind if you think I'm going to help you after you cost me my career in the Time Patrol," Azura snarled at him.

"Fine, don't help us," Gorun shrugged. "Just come and watch. But seeing as you're so proudly a Saiyan, I'll bet that the first chance you have to get in on a fight, you'll take it."

Azura maintained her glare at him for several long seconds before snapping, "Fine."

Kinana looked at her boyfriend nervously before she asked in a lowered tone, "Are you sure that's wise? What if she tries to attack you again while you're distracted?"

"She won't, it's not in her nature," he assured her. "She'll be brutal in any fight she goes into, but she doesn't do sneak attacks unless it's absolutely necessary. Saiyans prefer direct, open combat, and she's definitely more Saiyan than not when it comes to mentality."

"Unlike some others in the room," Azura said, renewing her glare at her rival.

"Wait, does she-"

"Have sensitive hearing like me?" Gorun sighed. "Yeah…"

"Why are you trying to take her with us?!" Gray demanded suddenly. "She tried to vaporize you not three hours ago, now you're just gonna trust her? At least with Gajeel, we didn't just bring him along with us- circumstances forced us to work together!"

"And look how it turned out," Gorun countered. "Look, I can promise that I'm the least thrilled about this out of anyone here. But I'm also trying to embody what it means to be a good Fairy Tail wizard. This seems like a good way to go."

"He's not asking you to like it," Makarov interjected. "But as guild master, I'm ordering you all to take her with you. Maybe you'll all find some common ground along the way."

"Unlikely," Azura snorted. "I'm only going because I have nothing better to do. As soon as I do, I'm out of here."

"Try to run, and the Supreme Kai of Time will know about it," Gorun warned her. "And then who knows who she'll send after you?" Azura flinched, but said nothing in response. Giving into a satisfied smile, the saiyan boy turned to the others and said, "All right, we've got our team. Let's go rescue Éclair."

* * *

The city-state of Veronica was full of festivities and cheering crowds. Tonight was the night that they would be celebrating their province's four hundredth birthday, so of course the entire population turned out to celebrate. There were already small firework displays being put on, and musicians at every city block. Truly, it would be a party to remember.

Even the guards on the city walls, normally so alert and on guard against any trouble inside or outside the walls, were relaxed, enjoying low conversations and drinks to celebrate their homeland's birth date.

It wasn't until they heard the telltale sounds of a group of people running at them that one of the guards stood up straight, levelling his spear at the darkness beyond the firelight. "Halt!" he called, drawing the attention of some of his comrades. "Who goes there? The gate is closed for the night!"

"We're Fairy Tail, and we say it's open!" Gray shouted back, the air around him dropping a few degrees even as Gorun rushed ahead of him, his aura glowing red.

" _Big Bang Attack!_ " the monkey-tailed youth shouted, casting the spell at the startled guards, who were instantly levelled by the ferocious blast.

"Ice-make: _Hammer!_ " his icy companion added, conjuring a huge hammer that smashed the iron gates open.

The wizards all ran or flew past the gate's remnants, grim expressions on their faces. "Spread out in pairs!" Gorun ordered as he took the lead. "Erza and Gray, you two sweep to the north-west, I can sense one of the Carbuncle wizards in that area. Gajeel, you and Pantherlily take to the sewers in the south-west, same thing. Wendy, hang back with Carla and keep the soldiers busy, but be ready to come assist if you see one of us fire a signal flare."

"You got it!" the little girl affirmed as she stopped running and turned around to face a squadron of soldiers that had begun to give chase.

"Azura, you're with me," the Saiyan boy added. "Momon, Natsu, and Happy are making a straight shot for Éclair, as are we. I'm hoping to draw out their leader so that one of us can keep him busy while the others rescue Éclair." The little bird had insisted on coming along for the rescue mission, despite the protests of the others.

"Is that really necessary?" Azura huffed. "Like I said, I'm not interested in helping you or your happy little gang, Kaidon."

"No, but where I'm headed is where all the action is," the boy shot back. "You wanted a fight with me so bad? Too bad, _I'm_ not interested. But there _is_ a fight to be had, and I get the feeling that before the night is over, things will get way more exciting than they should."

"What makes you say that?" the girl asked, in spite of herself.

"Just the way things are in our guild," he smirked in response. "And let's admit- the same thing happens to our family all the time."

"Heh," Azura laughed, but she straightened her face before Gorun could see the smile creeping across her features. "I suppose you have a point."

"Then let's go," he said as he flew above the rooftops, making a beeline for where he could see the city's central plaza, where a massive bonfire was being lit… and the guards were dragging what looked like a young woman toward it.

 _Éclair!_

* * *

 **Gorun: ...**

 **Azura: ...**

 **Saiki: What a pain... Was putting Mataras in the omake hospital really necessary?**

 **Gorun: He's lucky I didn't kill him!**

 **Azura: And you think I have the tendency to overreact?**

 **Gorun: Shut up! You're not involved, Azura!**

 **Azura: I'm feeling pretty involved.**

 **Saiki: What a pain. Next time on Saiyan Tail- Twin Saiyans, Twin Destinies. Coming Goku Day, 2019.**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

Gorun froze, caught between a rock and a hard place. If he fired the etherion blast now, he could easily incapacitate the duke, maybe even scatter the phoenix stone so that it would be hidden for a little while. But if he did that, the man standing by Éclair with a torch in hand would be able to ignite her funeral pyre. Should he choose to save her, though, the phoenix would certainly be revived to wreak havoc upon the innocent bystanders, and even the world at large if it went on a rampage.

He looked over to Azura, who simply shrugged, maintaining a blank expression. Apparently she really didn't care which way the situation went. _Damn her stubbornness,_ he seethed. If she would only help him, they could take down both threats simultaneously.

 _Maybe I could try for a Double Sunday?_ He thought as sweat began to line his brow. _No, if I drop the Kamehameha, they'll both make their moves, and then I'll have really screwed the pooch._

"It seems that we have reached what educated people call an impasse," the duke sneered up at him. "But I won't wait forever, wizard. No matter what you do, the phoenix will be revived this night to crown me ruler of Earthland for all time!"

"Don't let him do it!" Éclair suddenly called up to the Fairy Tail wizard. "Whatever happens to me, the phoenix must not be revived!"

Gorun met her gaze, seeing the fierce determination there, the willingness to sacrifice everything to see that the horror of the ancient fire bird would not be brought back to harm anyone else. In that moment, he realized that there was no choice to be made.

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Kinana

Wizard Name: The Fairy Flower

Actual Age Age at Debut: 25 yrs  
Physical Age At Debut: 15 yrs

Current Actual Age: 27 yrs  
Current Physical Age: 17

Conception/Author's commentary:  
Okay, clearly Kinana isn't my original character. However, I do like what I've been able to do with her, especially given how underutilized her potential was in the original Fairy Tail series. I think that the 'Neo Oracion Seis' arc in the anime was partly meant to fix that, and to a degree, it succeeded, though since it doesn't constitute as canon material, I dunno how much care Hiro Mashima really has for the character. In any case, I know he's got a ton of characters to care for, but that's where people like me step in to show some of these background characters a little extra love to let them shine for once.  
Now, admittedly, I almost did the same thing to her as Mashima. As I've mentioned previously, in the early stages of planning for this series, I had intended for Gorun and Yukino to end up together after the Dragon King Festival. However, after some discussion with my wife, I decided to give Kinana a chance to stand out in the spotlight, and boy has she! Although not as powerful as Gorun or the other top elite wizards, and certainly not as hotheaded, her strength is nothing to laugh at, because despite her demure nature, she can pack a punch solid enough to floor an S-class mage on par with Erza.  
Her relationship with Gorun is really fun to write, and refreshing for a guy who usually spends his time writing about way darker themes than a couple of kids having fun with their lives, and being happy with one another.

Known Techniques:

-Dodonpa (Dodon Ray)  
-Masenko  
-Kikoho(Tri-Beam)  
-Shin Kikoho (Neo Tri-Beam)  
-Taiyoken (Solar Flare)  
-Gallick Gun

Known Transformations/Enhancements:

-Kaioken (up to five times)

Equipment/Items Used:

-Senzu Beans

Accomplishments:

-Saved the life of Erik/Cobra as a child during events in the Tower of Heaven  
-Learned Etherion Magic from Gorun at the physical age of sixteen, despite her initial belief that she did not possess magic herself  
-Was part of the Fairy Tail Team that took 8th place in the qualifying round of the Grand Magic Games  
-Defeated Bacchus, an S-class wizard from Quatro Cerberus on day two of the Grand Magic Games  
-Became a founding member of the Fairy Tail team, Golden Tail, led by Gorun

Stats:

-Power: 3/7  
-Speed: 2/7  
-Technique: 5/7  
-Intelligence: 4/7  
Cooperativeness:6/7

Fun Facts:

-She had no real interest in magic until Gorun offered to teach it to her as a way of spending more time together

-While she has fun going out on missions as a wizard, she mostly prefers the quiet hours that she can spend in her home, relaxing either alone or with friends

-Her favorite spell is the Taiyoken, despite hardly ever using it, since it is the least violent weapon at her disposal

-Her cooking skills rival Mirajane's

-She secretly hopes to marry Gorun someday, though she is wary of bringing up the subject with him because of how he reacts to Juvia's advances on Gray

-Her guild mark is light gray, and located on her right shoulder


	21. Twin Saiyans Twin Destinies

**A/N: I really need to make sure I've got all my holidays straight... o.O**

 **Well, since Goku Day is upon us, I decided to release the next chapter for this tale now, instead of on Memorial Day like I had originally planned. The good thing about this is that you all get a new chapter earlier! The downside is, I will not be releasing a chapter for this story on Memorial Day, and the next chapter will be released at the beginning of June.**

 **However, if you also follow my Red Swordsman: Shattered Fragment story, you can still be in for a treat! I't's been a whilesince I've updated that tale, so I'm looking forward to what people have to say about it. But, you all are probably wanting to move on to this story, especially given the new cover art... Have fun!**

 **OP song: This is War (by Thirty Seconds to Mars)**

* * *

 _Rival Arc: Chapter 4_

Twin Saiyans, Twin Destinies

"Duke of Veronica!" Gorun's shout startled the young ruler and the people present to witness the joining of the Phoenix Stones and Éclair's apparent execution. They all looked up to see the angry young man glaring down at them, accompanied by a girl whose face remained passive. "I'll have you return my comrade and the stone that you stole!"

He had finally made it to the central plaza of the city, having had to dodge a lot more arrows and magic bullets than he had been expecting. Azura, as she had promised, did not help him one bit as he blasted a path through the city. She only evaded the projectiles hurled at her, never even bothering to retaliate.

Directly in the middle of the crowd, Éclair looked up at him with wide eyes from where she was tied to a stake, a pyre ready to be lit beneath her feet. Her shock turned to hope as she smiled up at Gorun, happy to see that she was no longer alone.

"These stones are my birthright!" the arrogant noble shouted back at the Saiyan, gripping the small artifacts tightly between his fingers. "With them, I shall become immortal and rule over Veronica for eternity!"

"Idiot!" Gorun shouted back at him. "To do that, you'd have to revive the phoenix! If you think you can hold sway over such power, you just might be the biggest fool I've ever met!"

Levy had managed to scrounge up some texts on the origins of the phoenix stones, which Gorun had studied on the trip up to Veronica. Nothing in the books were good news. According to the legend, if the fire bird were to be revived by uniting the twin phoenix stones, it would grant its summoner eternal life, but at the cost of everything else being burned to ash.

"Of course I will master it!" the Duke sneered up at him. "Once I am immortal, I will do anything I please- starting with the annihilation of the Kingdom of Fiore! It is time my rule was extended to the rest of the world!"

"Try it and I'll blast you into the dirt!" Gorun replied, gathering the energy he would need for a Kamehameha. He wasn't actually going to kill the duke, but the snobbish ruler didn't need to know that.

The duke froze in place, apparently beginning to realize that he was in fact, in imminent danger. The crowd below him began to stir with anticipation and fear, unsure of what was to become of their monarch. Then a wicked idea struck him, and he pointed at the girl that had stolen his phoenix stone. "If anything happens to me, kill the girl!" he ordered.

Gorun froze, caught between a rock and a hard place. If he fired the etherion blast now, he could easily incapacitate the duke, maybe even scatter the phoenix stone so that it would be hidden for a little while. But if he did that, the man standing by Éclair with a torch in hand would be able to ignite her funeral pyre. Should he choose to save her, though, the phoenix would certainly be revived to wreak havoc upon the innocent bystanders, and even the world at large if it went on a rampage.

He looked over to Azura, who simply shrugged, maintaining a blank expression. Apparently she really didn't care which way the situation went. _Damn her stubbornness,_ he seethed. If she would only help him, they could take down both threats simultaneously.

 _Maybe I could try for a Double Sunday?_ He thought as sweat began to line his brow. _No, if I drop the Kamehameha, they'll both make their moves, and then I'll have really screwed the pooch._

"It seems that we have reached what educated people call an impasse," the duke sneered up at him. "But I won't wait forever, wizard. No matter what you do, the phoenix will be revived this night to crown me ruler of Earthland for all time!"

"Don't let him do it!" Éclair suddenly called up to the Fairy Tail wizard. "Whatever happens to me, the phoenix must not be revived!"

Gorun met her gaze, seeing the fierce determination there, the willingness to sacrifice everything to see that the horror of the ancient fire bird would not be brought back to harm anyone else. In that moment, he realized that there was no choice to be made.

* * *

Wendy had just finished demolishing a squadron of soldiers when she felt an alarming magical pressure begin to emanate from the city's central plaza. The ground began to shake, causing the remaining troops to forget about her as they looked to see what the disturbance could be. "Carla, we need to get up higher!" the girl shouted to be heard above the noise. "I think something big is about to happen!"

* * *

Gajeel and Pantherlily had just exited the sewer where a certain assassin would be spending a long time in a forced nap when the ground began to rumble violently, nearly throwing them back into the hole they had just crawled out of.

"What's going on?!" the exceed shouted.

"I don't get it," Gajeel replied. "I thought Gorun was the one goin' after the stones! Don't tell me he failed!"

* * *

"What's up with the earthquake?!" Gray asked from atop the roof of a theater where he and Erza had just finished pummeling Coordinator.

"I don't know of any earthquake that generate so much magic power, unless Jura is involved!" Erza answered, requipping into her Black Wing Armor. "And he's back with Master at the Magic Council emergency session!"

"What does that mean for us?!" Gray asked nervously.

"It means that we're likely about to have a fight on our hands."

* * *

"Okay, I'm not the only one sensing that, right?" Lucy asked nervously from her group's vantage point that overlooked the city of Veronica.

"Unfortunately not," Kinana winced. "If I'm sensing it correctly, that power is even stronger than Azura is."

"Power isn't everything in a fight," Romeo argued. "Gorun's always saying that."

"True, but it _is_ a major factor in who can win or lose," Yukino replied. "I think we had better consider this the emergency call for help."

"I agree," Kinana nodded as she rose from where she had sat, smacking the dirt off of her dress. "And seeing as we're likely going to need all the power we can get, you and Lucy should get to fusing."

"Let's do this!" Romeo grinned, conjuring twin flames in his hands as he crowed, "I'm all fired up!"

* * *

Natsu, Happy, and Momon were all in a prison transfer wagon when the rumblings shook the area. They had all taken a severe beating from Dyst when they encountered him in the streets of Veronica. It had been a very one-sided match, Natsu being unable to even lay a finger on the guy due to his telekinesis magic. After blacking out, Natsu barely managed to regain consciousness as his motion sickness began to affect him.

"Happy…" he groaned. "We gotta… get out of here. Now, while they're distracted."

"Aye sir," the little cat called softly. Apparently he had managed to wake up first, though he had gotten off lightly with Dyst, all things considered.

Natsu gathered up Momon in his arms, since the little bird was still unconscious. "Okay…" he said as he struggled not to wretch as another tremor shook the city. "Let's do it."

"Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed as he grabbed Natsu's coat and shot up as fast as he could. They broke through the roof of the wagon easily, but the guards below them didn't notice, or didn't care.

As soon as they were airborne, it was easy to see why. "Oh man," Natsu said with narrow eyes. "Looks like we really stepped in it this time."

* * *

"You stupid, moronic, imbecile!" Éclair seethed as Gorun deposited her on a rooftop a few blocks away from the site of what was becoming the phoenix's revival. "I told you to stop the duke, not save me!"

"None of my friends die tonight!" the boy shouted back. "Not while I'm still breathing!" The tremors were getting worse, and the magic power coming from the phoenix stones was almost suffocating to his trained senses.

"You don't get it, now that the phoenix is revived, everyone will die!" Éclair said as she slapped him. "You shouldn't have saved me!"

"Look, I-"

There was a rumbling crash and a roar that shook the countryside more violently than anything it had experienced in centuries. Smoke and ash billowed up from the plaza, obscuring the source of the disturbance for a moment.

Then a strange head bearing three red eyes reared up from the debris. Gorun's eyes widened as he took in the site, both horrified and confused. "What the…?" he muttered. "I thought the phoenix was supposed to be made of fire!"

Other than some fires that had been started by the sheer amount of energy caused by the monster's resurrection, there were no flames to be seen. The body of the phoenix looked to be made of some kind of metal, with something like feathers adorning either side of its round face. The neck that joined the bizarre head led to an even stranger body as Gorun took flight again, seeking to get a better look at what the duke had unleashed.

He was just in time, too. As he gathered Éclair up in his arms even while she glared daggers at him, he just managed to avoid a huge, clawed arm that was some hundreds of meters in length that would have crushed him and the girl. Some kind of canvas-like material draped down from the limb, which could have made up a wing, but Gorun honestly doubted that the thing could even fly. The body was a giant sphere, and looked way too big for the rest of it to be able to take flight. The whole thing was completed by stubby legs and feet that matched the claws attached to its arms.

"That's the phoenix, right?" he asked the girl. "It's not some weird demon thing?"

"It might as well be," she muttered. "It will burn everything to the ground without regard for anything but its own existence."

"But where's the fire?!" he demanded, still feeling confused. Everything he had read said that beast was supposed to be a creature of fire, but this thing was-

Almost as if in response to his thoughts, the monster let out another roar, and this time, a ball of energy the size of a house appeared in front of its face. "Oh man," Gorun gulped as he read the energy levels coming from the ball.

The phoenix hurled- or spat, Gorun couldn't tell, since it didn't appear to have a beak, or mouth, or whatever it should have had- right at the pair, forcing him to bank hard towards the ground.

The ball whizzed overhead, just missing them. Instead, it went flying all the way past the city limits to crash into the mountain range that separated Veronica from Fiore. In a brilliant flash of light and heat, several pieces of the ancient borders were vaporized.

"There's your fire," Éclair scowled as he put her down again. Fortunately, the phoenix seemed to have lost interest in them. Unfortunately, that meant that it was now crashing through the city at random, staring down at anything that moved, which included a lot of civilians.

"I'm thinking I should put said fire out," the boy said with a grimace.

"Why do that when you can fight fire with fire?" Natsu said as he, Happy, and Momon landed next to them.

"Momon!" Éclair cried, reaching out to take her wounded friend from the Salamander's arms. He let her take the semiconscious bird, who groaned as he was transferred.

"What happened to him?!" the girl asked worriedly.

"We ran into that guy that moves stuff with his magic," Happy answered. "He beat up the poor guy because he wanted to save you."

"Happy, get Éclair and Momon to safety," Gorun ordered as he turned to face Natsu. "We'll handle the phoenix."

"Not alone, you won't," said another familiar voice. They all turned to see the rest of their team landing on the rooftop to join them. Gray was the one who had spoken, and now he moved to join Natsu and Gorun. "What's the game plan, Gorun?"

"Keep it busy, try to get it away from any civilians," he replied. "Natsu and I need a minute to prep for the fight."

"Whaddya mean?!" the fire wizard demanded. "I'm going in with 'em!"

"Not if we want a shot at destroying that thing," Gorun replied sternly. "Azura won't help us- not even sure she's still here, to be honest- so there's only one way I know of to match that thing's power."

"Who said I wouldn't help you?" They all tuned to see the blue-haired Saiyan girl descending to float a few feet away from them.

"You did," Gorun deadpanned.

"That was before I knew there was an actual fight to be had," she smirked at him. "Who knows? Maybe I'll even beat it before the rest of you get to it."

"I doubt that," her rival muttered. "But fine, I'll take all the help we can get right now. Keep it busy, while Natsu and I do what we need to do."

"Then let's get going," Gajeel grinned. "I'm more than happy to get in ahead of Salamander." With that parting sally, Pantherlily picked his partner up and together they shot toward the giant monster.

"I'm cool with that," Gray laughed as he conjured a bazooka. "Let's go, guys!" He charged off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop while the others flew after him.

Happy grabbed onto Éclair, who looked back down at Gorun one more time. "Stop it, at any cost," she told him.

"I will," he promised. "Now go! Find Lucy and the others, and get somewhere far away from here!"

"Aye sir!" Happy cried.

"What're we even doing?!" Natsu demanded as the trio flew away. "Why do they get all the fun?!"

"We're going to fuse, Natsu," Gorun answered him as the city was rocked with another round of explosions, courtesy of a dozen plasma blasts created by the phoenix. "You remember the dance we did back at the Grand Magic Games?"

"Yeah, but you gave the rings to Lucy and Yukino," the pinkette replied. "Don't we need 'em to make that work?"

"Not exactly, no," Gorun said with a shake of his head. "They're meant to be a stabilizing agent because if you normally fuse with uneven power levels, the result is a very weak, sickly transformation. But on the flip side, if we do it right, we'll be even stronger than we were when we fused during the games."

"How much stronger?" Natsu asked curiously, even as another round of explosions was set off by the phoenix.

"I don't have a number on it, but it'll be a big difference," Gorun promised him. "I just need you to do the dance while raising your power level as high as you can without actually releasing any energy. I'll match it, and we'll fuse. Can you do that?"

"We do this, and we can beat that thing?" Natsu asked as he looked up at the monster.

"It's our best shot," Gorun said. Strictly speaking, he knew that the potara earrings were a better alternative, but he didn't want to risk being permanently fused with someone else just yet. If the Metamoran fusion failed, he would try again with the potara, he decided.

"Then let's do it," Natsu grinned. "One condition, though."

"Condition?" Gorun repeated.

"We break that jerk's face up there, first," Natsu said as he pointed at the phoenix's back. Gorun focused on where he was pointing, enabling him to see Dyst atop the monster, trying desperately to break through the metal hide, but to no avail.

 _He's trying to gain immortality by getting its blood,_ he realized. According to the texts he had read, the monster's blood was the key to eternal life. Whether or not that was true, he wasn't certain anymore, seeing as pretty much everything but the phoenix stones had turned out to be false.

Still, it wasn't a risk they could take, Dyst becoming immortal. "Natsu, it'll be my pleasure to knock his teeth in," Gorun grinned at his friend. After all, Dyst had been largely responsible for the destruction of their guild hall. It was time for payback.

* * *

"Ice-make: _Cannon!_ " Gray shouted as he blasted at the phoenix with a frozen missile.

"Iron Dragon _Roar!_ " Gajeel bellowed, aiming for the left wing.

"Sky Dragon _Roar!_ " Wendy added, joining her attack with his, the tornado sending the metal shards whirling even faster to strike at the monster.

"Black Wing _Moon Slash!_ " Erza cried from beneath its belly, hoping that maybe she could pierce its thick armor and lay waste to its innards.

To their collective dismay, none of their attacks so much as scratched the thing. "Come on!" Gray complained. "What do we have to do to beat this thing?!"

"Where the hell are Salamander and Gorun?!" Gajeel added.

"You don't need Kaidon for this," Azura said confidently as she floated up to be beside the Iron Dragon Slayer. "I've got all the firepower we'll need to take this beast down. _Hyah!_ " With a flash of light and pair of golden magic circles, she ascended to her Super Saiyan 2 form.

The phoenix apparently noticed, because it swung its head up and around to look directly at her, even as she smiled fiercely at it. "Hello, ugly," she said mockingly. "Let's see if you have enough sense to dodge. _Ka…_ "

"I think we should move away from here," Pantherlily told his partner, who grunted in agreement. As they moved away from the girl, the others took the hint to do the same, even as the phoenix prepared to retaliate, a crackling ball of plasma appearing in front of its face, this one bigger than the others before it.

"That can't be good," Gray muttered.

"What, the phoenix's attack, or Azura?" Erza asked him.

"Yes," he deadpanned.

" _HA!_ " the girl shouted loud enough for them to hear, the Kamehameha slamming directly into the phoenix and knocking it back several paces, causing it to crash through several city blocks as it took the brunt of the blast. Then, impossibly, it stood its ground against the giant etherion blast, digging its talons into the pavement to hold fast to its position. An instant later, it hurled the giant energy blast at Azura, intent on blasting her into atoms.

That's when a brilliant flash of light came from a nearby rooftop, obscuring the others' sight for a moment. When they could see again, they were all surprised by what they were witnessing.

* * *

Narun was floating between Azura and the glowing ball of energy, his hand keeping it at bay with no discernable effort, and a confident smile on his face. " _Looks like we're just in time for the fun part,_ " he said. His loose-fitting clothes and blue sash streamed out behind him as he kept the deadly attack at bay.

"I had that!" the Saiyan girl said as she rounded on him. "Why are you even using the Metamoran fusion anyway? I saw those potara earrings Kaidon was wearing."

" _He had his reasons_ ," Narun replied while rolling his eyes. " _Now let us get to work- we've only got thirty minutes to do what needs to be done._ "

"I can handle this!" Azura shouted, before she was backhanded by Narun into the nearest street, the impact leaving a crater in the ground where she landed, and knocking the wind out of her.

" _Clearly,_ " he said, making no effort to hide his sarcasm as he tossed the plasma blast skyward. " _For the record, they both really wanted to do that._ " Looking back at the phoenix, he cracked his knuckles, grinned widely and said, " _All right. Time to have some fun!_ " With that, he shot towards the behemoth of a monster, drawing his right fist back. " _Fire Dragon IRON FIST!_ " The blow connected solidly, actually making the phoenix stagger from the impact, and leaving a solid dent in its stomach.

* * *

"Okay, is it just me, or is Narun _way_ stronger than last time?" Gray asked of no one in particular. "Cos if he could throw a punch like that, there's no way Sting and Rogue would've lasted more than a few seconds against them."

"Indeed, his magic power has grown greatly since his last appearance," Erza mused as they watched Narun go to work, blasting the phoenix with flames hot enough to be felt even as far away as they were, and punches that sent shockwaves across the city. "Perhaps his power increases with every fusion they perform?"

"If that was the case, the new kid and Lucy's combination would be stronger than Gorun by now," Gajeel pointed out. "It's gotta be something else."

"We should worry about that later!" Carla shouted. "Shouldn't we be helping people evacuate, or finding where Éclair and Happy went?"

"We need to be ready to back him up if he needs it," Gray insisted. "I'm staying here."

"As will I," Erza said firmly. "I get the feeling that we have yet to see the true terror of the phoenix."

* * *

Narun punched the phoenix a few more times before he was satisfied that he had a general idea of how to handle his newly elevated strength. Putting his fingers to his forehead, he engaged instant transmission to appear directly in front of Dyst atop the phoenix's backside, who simply glowered at their appearance.

"And who are you?" he demanded as he raised his hands at him.

" _You might think of us as Fairy Tail's guest star,_ " the fused warrior grinned at him, but it wasn't a friendly expression. " _We're only called on when someone has trespassed against our guild one time too many. Call us Narun._ "

"Die, Narun!" Dyst shouted as he unleashed a blast that would not only knock this new fighter off of the phoenix, but also rip his skin entirely from his body.

Or at least, it should have. To his utter shock, not only did Narun take the blast head-on, he flew directly at him and grabbed the assassin's arm, locking his grip like a vice. " _Looks like we gotcha,_ " he said.

"How dare you?!" Dyst roared as he sent blast after blast at the boy grabbing on to his arm. However, no matter how hard or fast he hit the new wizard, he didn't budge.

" _No, how dare_ _ **you**_ _?!_ " Narun shouted back. " _You attacked our guild and kidnapped our friend, and all for what? Some spoiled brat?!_ "

"As if I would allow that buffoon to inherit eternal life!" Dyst snorted as he finally managed to wrench his arm loose from Narun's vice-like grip. "No, the phoenix's blood will be mine, and then I shall rule over humanity for all time!"

" _Yeah, like these people need another crappy ruler!_ " Narun snorted as he began to advance again, his fists lighting ablaze. " _What would you know about being a king, anyway?!_ "

"The only thing you need to rule is power, and I will possess unlimited power when I am granted eternal life!" Dyst answered. Narun rushed forward while he was talking, aiming to punch his enemy into the ground. However, he stopped when Dyst held his hands out, unleashing a new stream of energy from each palm that met with his fiery fists, trying to push him back.

" _That kind of gift would be wasted on you, because you don't know the first thing about life!_ " the Saiyan/Dragon Slayer snapped.

"I know how to end it!" the assassin growled, redoubling his efforts to push Narun back, but to no avail. It was as though the fused wizard was a stone statue, and he was a child trying to move it out of his way.

Narun was about to utter a retort when something caught his attention. " _What the…?_ " he muttered as he noticed several strong power levels surrounding the phoenix.

"Let's rock, babies!" a familiar, high-pitched voice cackled, followed by the sound of several lasers being fired.

"Fairy Machine Gun: _Leprechaun!_ "

" _Is that…?_ " Narun murmured, Dyst all but forgotten, despite the assassin's active attempt to try and kill him.

"Dark Ecreture: _Slice!_ " a calm, collected voice called from next to one of the phoenix's feet. A shockwave followed the owner of the voice, and Narun caught a flash of green hair and a red jacket.

"Hey, Natsu!" a deeper voice called from a nearby rooftop. The fused wizard turned to see Laxus standing above the smoke and ash, now surrounded by his Thunder Legion, with a smug grin on his face. "Stop wasting time already! Be a real Fairy Tail wizard, and kick his ass!" A moment's thought sent a lightning bolt that finished wrecking the street beneath the phoenix's foot, causing it to stumble, and throwing Dyst off-balance.

" _With pleasure,_ " Narun chuckled, his smile brought from the fact that he had noticed everyone that had attended the Grand Magic Games was now present for the battle against the ancient monster. Fixing his gaze back on Dyst, he added, " _You're toast now- you hurt one Fairy, you target us all._ "

"And what will you do about it?" Dyst growled as he struggled to maintain his balance and keep Narun back at the same time.

Narun paused to gather the energy he would need before shouting, " _We're_ _gonna make sure you don't hurt anybody, ever again!_ "

"Rrgh…" the man grunted. "I still don't have the phoenix's blood!"

" _No, what you don't have is any respect for human life!_ " the fused warrior snarled.

"It doesn't matter, for I shall rule for the rest of time!" the telekinetic wizard spat.

" _Like hell we're going to let a guy like you live forever!_ " Narun shouted as a golden magic circle, tinged with orange highlights appeared above his head.

" _Yeah, crush him Narun!_ " another mingled voice called up from one of the ruined houses. Lucino grinned up at him as he spared her a glance, flashing him a thumbs-up next to Kinana, who nodded solemnly at him.

" _Takeover: GOLDEN DRAGON SOUL!_ " he roared, his black-and-pink hair already standing on end. With a burst of golden flames, Narun was obscured from view, but the overwhelming power that he had been exerting skyrocketed, surpassing the phoenix by several leagues.

When his visage was revealed, even having seen both Natsu and Gorun undergo some amazing transformations, everyone was surprised by what they saw. There was the golden hair and green eyes of a Super Saiyan present, but now he was also covered in matching scales on his arms and cheeks, much like Natsu's Dragon Force.

* * *

"I'm thinking we wanna steer clear of that," Romeo said, his face pale despite the heat of the flames being generated by Narun and the phoenix's battle.

"Seconded," Kinana agreed. "Come on, everyone! We need to get to a safe distance!"

"How far is that gonna be?!" Cana asked as she began to run away with the others.

"A mile should be okay, maybe!"

" _Maybe_?!"

* * *

" _Now…_ " Narun said as he held out both hands in front of him while floating above Dyst and the phoenix. " _Have a taste of some Super Slayer magic!_ " A golden ball of fire came to life in front of his palms, the heat so intense that the plasma blasts from the phoenix seemed like little campfires compared to an erupting volcano. " _Brilliant Flame… KAMEHAMEHA!_ "

The fire instantly incinerated everything in the remains of the plaza. The castle, Dyst, the Duke of Veronica, some of the surrounding buildings… Even the phoenix melted away after a mere two seconds under the hellish flames, leaving nothing but a molten puddle of whatever metal had made up its body.

As soon as he saw the body of the monster disappear in the golden fire, Narun released the spell and let out a satisfied sigh. " _How about that, Éclair?_ " he murmured. " _None of us had to die to stop it._ "

* * *

The girl had actually witnessed the entire battle from the sidelines with wide eyes. After Happy had taken her away from the impending conflict, they wound up meeting with the others that had come to infiltrate Veronica- and many other members of the guild that had originally agreed to stay behind.

"What brought you guys out here?" Happy had asked them.

"We all decided to say 'screw the small team idea' and came to help you guys," Macao grinned at the blue exceed. "Looks like you could use it right about now."

"No!" Éclair had protested urgently. "Please, you must get away while you still can! The phoenix will destroy you all!"

"Girl, we're not going anywhere," Cana had grinned at the other brunette. "Gorun and the others are out there, putting their lives on the line, so we're gonna be there to support 'em. That's just how we do things in this guild."

"A real man isn't afraid to face death alongside his friends and family," Elfman had declared.

Now, it seemed as though their faith in one another had been rewarded. The ancient monster lay dead at Narun's feet, and the ones that had sought to use its power for themselves were no more.

"I can hardly believe it…" she whispered as she fell to her knees, overcome. At long last, her father could finally rest in peace, and her task was done.

"I don't believe it," Makarov said, though there was no sense of wonder in his voice as he spoke. His face was actually marred with a frown, drawing the attention of his children to him.

"What's wrong, Master?" Romeo asked, confused. "Narun just roasted that thing. It's dead."

"I'm not so sure…" the elderly wizard scowled even harder. "Something is amiss here. Kalard's weapon was supposed to be the only thing capable of truly destroying the phoenix forever. If that's the case, Narun may have simply sealed it away again."

"No, that's not it," Éclair said, her eyes narrowing as she looked back at the puddle that had been the phoenix. "The people of Fire Village, long ago… They had a method of sealing the phoenix away, but it didn't require destroying its body. And if he didn't seal it away, then…"

That's when the air began to heat up again.

* * *

"Kaidon, you glory-hogging bastard!" a familiar voice shouted as the owner flew up to meet the fused fighter with a furious expression on her face. "The one good fight I could have had here, and you stole it from me!" Azura fumed.

" _Hey, it's not my fault you didn't finish it sooner,_ " Narun shrugged. " _Besides, this world has plenty more to offer. Apparently, this thing is nothing compared to the dark, immortal wizard Zeref, or the dragon of the apocalypse, Acnologia. If you want a good fight, go battle one of them._ "

"You still stole this one!" Azura shouted. "You told that if I came, I would find a good fight, and just when I do, you steal it out from under me!"

" _You_ _ **did**_ _try to kidnap your cousin,_ " Narun pointed out as he folded his arms across his chest. " _Consider this payback, we guess._ "

"Why, you-!"

A raging pillar of fire erupted next to them, causing both wizards to throw up energy shields to withstand the flames' wrath. Even so, they were both taken aback by the new energy they were sensing, Azura because of the sheer magnitude of it, and Narun because it seemed somehow familiar now.

" _What's going on?!_ " he shouted, confused.

"Put it out, you're part fire wizard!" Azura yelled at him.

" _Even I can't eat that much fire!_ " he tossed back, even as the flames began to warp, pulling back in on themselves, and taking a general shape. As it did, Narun felt a chill run down his spine, in spite of the heat. " _I think you might get that fight you wanted,_ " he said warningly.

" **At long last… I… am… FREE!** " a deep, grating voice said from within the raging fire, which was now beginning to take on an avian shape.

* * *

The other wizards watched in horror as the fire bird revived itself, its power greater than ever before. "Well…" Romeo said, his voice quaking, despite his efforts to control it. "At least it looks like a phoenix now."

"Master, the weapon!" Erza said, snapping some of her comrades out of their stupor, including the old man. "Do you have it?! If we can use it, now is the time, while it's not yet noticed us!"

"Y-Yes," he stammered, turning to Jet, who held a long, brown leather case. "Let's not waste any time, then."

"What weapon?" Éclair asked in a shaky voice.

"Four hundred years ago…" Makarov muttered as he undid the clasps on the case, "Your father, the wizard Kalard, created the Light of Absolute Destruction in order to destroy the phoenix stones. It was entrusted to the magic council for safekeeping, and I brought it here to finally end this madness."

" _Hold on a sec_!" Lucino demanded as Makarov opened the container to reveal a long, heavy war arrow. " _Go back to that part about four hundred years ago!_ "

"So you figured it out," Éclair said somberly as the other members of the guild looked at her with intrigue. "I'm surprised- I only just put all the pieces together myself."

"Wait, so Éclair is four hundred years old?" Kinana asked, her eyebrows raised. "But… How?"

"When the phoenix was initially sealed away, other villages sought to take its container from mine by force," Éclair answered. "They only succeeded in filching one of the stones, and I alone escaped the carnage. With his dying breaths, the elder gave me the blood of the phoenix that we had collected, granting me immortality… But apparently also wiping my memories in the process."

"That… explains a lot, actually," Gray muttered. "So you've just been wandering around for the last four hundred years, all alone?"

"With the exception of Momon's company for the last two decades, yes," Éclair nodded.

" _Well, you can forget that noise,_ " Lucino grinned confidently at the other woman. " _You're stuck with us from now on._ "

"What?" Eclair was confused as everyone around began to smile at her, nodding and adding their voices to Lucino's.

"We've been bringing in a lot of strangers into our family lately," Carla said with an uncharacteristically soft smile. "What's one more?"

"You all…" Éclair paused, bringing a hand up to her face, to hide the stinging in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, my children, but as much as it pains me to say this, that will not be possible."

* * *

" _Someone wanna explain to us what in the name of sanity just happened?!_ " Narun demanded as he found himself face-to-beak with the phoenix.

" **You…** " the phoenix rumbled as it fixed its eyes, two points of yellow flames amid the orange, onto Narun. " **You are the one who freed me, yes…?** "

" _So it would seem_ ," the Super Slayer said through gritted teeth.

" **Then unto you I bestow my gift of longevity!** " it bellowed, bringing its face even closer to him, its right eye practically singeing the hair off his head. " **Have you a flask, human?** "

" _Yes…_ " the fused boy answered uncertainly. " _Why?_ "

" **Do not test my patience, or I shall revoke my gift, you unworthy ingrate!** " the monster snarled. " **Produce the flask, and do it now!** "

"You heard the bird," Azura snickered, enjoying the sight of Narun being ordered around. "Come on, you don't actually have a container on you, do ya?"

" _Bite us_ ," Narun replied with a smug grin as he pulled out a small glass container, causing Azura's jaw to hang open for a moment.

"Where did you have that?!" she demanded. " _Why_ did you have that?"

" _Gorun had to keep the metamo-rings somewhere before he gave them to Lucy and Yukino,_ " Narun shrugged. " _This thing is sealed by magic- only etherion can get it open._ "

" **Hold the flask beneath my eye, human,** " the phoenix commanded.

" _We_ _hope you realize that now we're doing what he asks just because it's to spite you_ ," Narun chuckled as he did as the monster demanded.

"Wow, you must be getting this from the one with the pink hair, because Kaidon was never that petty," Azura deadpanned.

" _What can we say?_ " Narun grinned. " _We're the best of both worlds. Hey, is it just us or the fire monster crying into the container?_ "

"Bwuh?"

" **My tears hold the power to grant eternal life,** " the beast explained as a few red drops akin to blood dripped into the small container. " **This is my gift, reserved for the one that would one day free me from that accursed prison!** "

" _Oh, is that all?_ " Narun asked as he pulled the now-full container away and re-stoppered it. " _So now what? Gonna fly off into the sunset? Find a nice volcano to call home?_ "

" **Foolish human… the** _ **world**_ **is my home!** " the phoenix bellowed as it reared its head up before letting out a piercing call. " **And now I shall cleanse the blight of all humanity from this world, with the exception of those who share in my immortality!** " It took flight, buffeting the two warriors with scorching winds as it rose high above the city, shrieking its triumph.

" _Okay, so you felt his power level, right?_ " Narun asked his 'ally' as he stuffed the flask into a safe part of his sash. " _How high it was?_ "

"I did…" Azura scowled.

" _Because even fused, that thing is at least ten times stronger than we are,_ " the Super Slayer added.

"I'm aware," the girl said shortly.

" _Are you still going to try and solo it?_ "

"You have a better idea?!" Azura demanded angrily. "Your fusion will run out in less than twenty minutes, and then both of your counterparts will be completely spent. If anyone can take that thing out, it's me!"

" _Or we could tag-team it before my time runs out,_ " Narun shrugged. " _Look, you don't like us, we don't like you. But we're pretty sure the Supreme Kai of Time was crystal clear when she marked this world as your new home. If you want to have a place to live, then we need to hit this thing with everything we've got._ "

"I'm pretty sure Kaidon said that he'd rather drop dead than work with me in the field," Azura snorted. "Why the sudden spirit of cooperation?"

" _Two reasons- one, we would very much like to live past the next two minutes,_ " Narun replied as he pointed up at the phoenix, which was still ascending above them. Then, pointing a thumb at his chest, he grinned, then added, " _And Gorun isn't all of who we are. There's a guy in here named Natsu Dragneel who would rather see the phoenix go up in smoke rather than let the world burn. And you do your cousin too little credit- if either of them can save their guild, they would throw everything else away, even their pride and grudges._ "

Azura quirked an eyebrow upward before letting a small smirk curl her lips in the same direction. "Throw away everything, huh?" she muttered. "How un-Saiyan. I suppose I'll just have to hold on to the grudge for both of us, then." Looking up at the phoenix, she added, "Kaidon owes me a rematch for this."

" _I'm sure he'll oblige, once we've turned that fire bird into a turkey flambé,_ " Narun grinned as she unleashed her full potential. " _Thanks, Genora._ "

"Don't go all Kakarot on me, I'm still mad about that punch from before- and a lot of other things besides!" she snapped before she streaked toward the phoenix at the speed of sound.

* * *

"No way, not gonna happen!" Gray said angrily as he glared down at Makarov. "This is murder, Gramps! The Fairy Tail I joined would never hurt one of their comrades!" The guild master had finished revealing a horrible truth- that in order for the phoenix to die, Éclair would have to perish as well.

"This is not something I want to do, believe me," Makarov said somberly. "But if this the only way to destroy that monster forever, then it must be done." He looked over to Éclair and implored, "Surely you understand."

"I do," she nodded, surprising everyone else present. "If the price to destroy that beast is my life, then I shall pay it gladly. You have my blessing."

" _Well, you don't have ours!_ " Lucino shouted as she knelt in front of the immortal woman. " _You have a place in our hearts now, Éclair! It's not just your life you would be giving up!_ "

"It is her life, and she can do with it what she chooses," Makarov said dully, clearly not enjoying the scene unfolding. "It is not your place to tell her what she can or cannot do, Lucino."

" _I don't care!_ "the celestial mage snapped. " _Who are you to take her life, huh?!_ "

"Erza, if you would…" Makarov said with a deep sigh as he held out the arrow to the redhead. "I need you to shoot the phoenix with this."

Titania reached out and grasped the heavy instrument of death, a deep frown overcoming her face. "No, master," she said sternly. "I will not."

The old man looked up at her with surprise first, then fury. "Erza, we cannot allow the phoenix to live! It will destroy us all if you don't! As your guild master, I am ordering you to-!"

"Forgive me if I am wrong, but didn't you expel your son, Ivan, for trying to kill one of our guild members?" Erza interrupted him bluntly. A complete silence fell over the assembled guild members as they stared at the pair with wide eyes. Even Laxus, unshakeable for the most part these days, looked unsettled by the harsh words.

Makarov fell silent, a haunted look coming over his face. He looked as though he had aged another five years in a mere two seconds. "What Ivan did was treacherous and only meant to benefit himself," he said in a grave voice. "I do not want this, Erza. But the world will burn if we do not act now."

"Then let us act," Erza said as she held the arrow over her bent leg. Before Makarov or Éclair could stop her, she snapped it in half over her knee.

"Erza!" Makarov cried, horrified. " _What have you DONE?!_ "

"I have acted in faith," the S-class mage replied, a glow surrounding her that hid her body from view. "Now I ask that everyone else do the same. _Requip!_ " The glow shifted from her standard golden color to a deep red that seemed familiar to the others.

"You may have just doomed the entire world because of your faith!" Éclair shouted as she got to her feet, faced flushed red with anger. "You and your friend both are such irresponsible fools!"

"Perhaps we are, but then we're all fools together," Kinana declared as she stood up. "Who's with us?"

"Count me in," Gray said with confident grin.

"Like I'll miss a chance to fight a myth," Gajeel smirked while Pantherlily nodded his agreement.

"I'm going, too!" Wendy added.

"We all are!" Romeo shouted. "There's no one Fairy Tail can't beat!"

" _Yeah!_ " everyone but Makarov and Éclair cheered.

"Let us remind the world of that fact," Erza declared as the glow heralding her transformation faded away.

" _Whoa,_ " Lucino said as the realized that she was wearing a new outfit. " _What's this one called, Erza?_ "

'This' was a sleek suit of armor, black spandex of some sort covering her body underneath a series of red lacquered plates that went over her thighs, abdomen, and shoulders, each of them trimmed with silver. A white breastplate with matching gloves and boots ran down the sides of her stomach, a blue Fairy Tail mark on her left hip. Unlike most of her other outfits, she was not armed with a sword, mace, spear, or any other kind of graspable weapon. Instead, she had wicked-looking set of crimson, spiked knuckledusters built into her gloves.

"I call it my 'Fairy Kai Armor' in honor of Gorun," Erza explained to the others. "The First Master helped me work out the issues I was having with getting it to work."

"What does it do?" Mirajane asked curiously.

"Join me in battle and see for yourselves!" Erza shouted as she took flight, racing to join Gorun and Azura, who were just beginning to attack the phoenix in the upper limits of the sky.

"Dark Ecreture… _Flight!_ " Freed shouted as he swept through the ranks of his comrades. "Go, join them!" he said once he had passed through the entire group, applying purple runes to those that could not fly, or did not have a partner capable of doing so. "I only imbued you with the power for ten minutes- after that, we'll have to return to the ground!"

"Sweet!" Romeo laughed as he took off into the sky after Erza.

"Don't hog all the fun, kid!" Gray warned him.

As they flew off, Eclair shook her head in despair as Makarov watched them go with a hollow look in his eyes. "You stupid bunch of brats," he groaned.

* * *

"Hey, ugly!" Azura shouted as she came up to be level with the phoenix. "Where do you think you're going?!"

" **To begin my reign of fire** ," the monster replied. " **Now, be gone!** "

" _Yeah, we're thinkin' we're gonna have to decline on that one,_ " Narun said as he rose up to hover beside her. " _Also, neither of us is interested in immortality. See, one of us is already kind of going to live for the next few eons, so… No thanks!_ "

" **You dare reject my gift?!** " the phoenix bellowed, sounding quite offended. " **Who do you think you are?!** "

" _Just a wizard from Fairy Tail who'd like his home to stay the way that it is,_ " Narun replied, bringing his hands to his side. " _Time to fight fire with dragon fire!_ "

"Give me five minutes, and I'll have something to send him packing," Azura said as she raised both of her hands skyward, pale blue energy beginning to gather above a complex magic circle of the same color.

" _A spirit bomb?_ " the fused wizard asked, surprised. " _Nice._ "

"Picked up the technique after Kaidon left," she replied. "Now get going! I need to maintain total concentration since I haven't completely mastered this one!"

" _One big distraction coming right up!_ " Narun grinned as his orange Kamehameha swelled to the size of a melon.

" **It is not wise to discuss your strategy in front of your opponent** ," the phoenix growled as it glared at Azura. " **You will pay for your insolence**!"

"If I had a zenny for every time someone told me that…" Azura muttered under her breath.

" _Fire Dragon KAMEHAMEHA!_ " Narun bellowed, letting loose with his attack as soon as the fire bird moved against his blue-haired companion. There was a scorching explosion at the point of contact which seemed to do little more than annoy his target.

" **You dare to use my own element against me?!** " it roared. " **And to think I deemed you worth of inheriting my gift of eternal life!** "

" _You have no one to blame but yourself for that one, pal,_ " Narun laughed. " _Also, you might want to duck._ "

" **What?** "

Before Narun could say anything else, a torrent of different elemental magics slammed into its body, most of them evaporating on contact, but still grabbing the monster's attention.

"Aw man!" Wendy groaned. "I thought that would've done way more damage!"

"We couldn't put a scratch on it before it was released from that weird metal body, so what led you to think that he would be easier to take down now?!" Cana said, a little exasperated by her comrade's naivety.

"Doesn't matter how hard this is, we're taking him down!" Gray shouted as he prepared a new ice-make technique. "Narun, what's the plan?!"

" _Keep him busy and tank Azura_!" he replied as he dodged a flaming bolt of magic that the phoenix hurled at him. " _Give it all you've got, don't hold back even a little_!"

"In that case…" Kinana muttered. "Second Origin: _Release_! Kaioken!" As soon as she had finished powering up, she cupped both of her hands by her left shoulder and screamed, " _Gallick Gun, FIRE!_ "

Even as she and Narun led the assault against the monster, those that were capable of doing so also proceeded to unleash their hidden reservoirs of power. Wendy and Gajeel tapped into their Dragon Force, with Laxus following suit. Magic of all kinds blazed across the night sky as the fairies flew around, above, and below the ancient beast, much to its aggravation. Their attacks didn't hurt it for the most part, but they were annoying like mosquitoes.

Things really got interesting when Gorun and Kinana were unleashing a joint Masenko at its wing, hoping that perhaps they could cause it to lose altitude if they could keep it from re-sealing the wound with its flames. They were joined by Erza, resplendent in her new armor as a red aura blazed to life around her.

" _What kinda armor is that?_ " Narun grunted as he kept his focus on the yellow laser flying from his palms.

"Wait just a moment," the redhead answered as she concentrated. "Now… _Kaioken!_ " The red aura blazed even more fiercely, and Narun was taken aback by the new development.

" _Be careful!_ " he warned. " _That technique can cause serious stress to your body if you aren't used to it!_ "

"That's the beauty of the design!" Erza laughed as she held out her hands, palms open to face the phoenix. "The armor refines the technique in such a way that it puts no strain on my body, only my magic power!" Red energy blasts flew from her hands, peppering the phoenix with small explosions at each point of contact.

"Etherion blasts?!" Kinana yelped in surprise. "What's next, a Kamehameha?!"

"No, not yet!" Erza said as she maintained her grin. "Perhaps someday, when I've had more practice. For now, let's focus on the problem in front of us!"

Even as she finished speaking, the phoenix let out a roar, and waves of fire erupted from its body in all directions, similar to a Fire Dragon's Wing Attack. Narun snarled and used instant transmission to move in front of Azura and shield them both with an energy field.

"Thanks," she muttered, her brow bent downward in concentration.

" _We're_ _just here to protect the spirit bomb,_ " the fused warrior replied. " _How long until it's ready?_ "

"Just another minute," she grunted as she looked up at the energy sphere, which was nearly rivalling the phoenix in size now, ignoring the verbal jab. "Will your people last that long?"

As the flames finally dissipated, Narun lowered his shield and replied, " _They'll last as long as they need to. Just worry about finishing that bomb._ " Then he was off again, flames trailing behind him as he prepared an Iron Fist.

He was joined by Gray, who unleashed a Seven Sword Strike right after he knocked the phoenix's head upward, leaving its throat exposed. Gray's blades struck home, but they didn't seem to do much against the heat.

"Damn!" he growled. "What does it take to kill this thing?!"

" _Considering it's supposed to be immortal, probably a lot more than we got,_ " Narun admitted. " _Fortunately, Gorun's cousin has it handled._ "

"Cousin?" Gray repeated with a raised eyebrow.

" _You got another short term for an alternate temporal twin?_ " Narun replied dryly.

"Gotcha," his friend chuckled. "Complicated relationship, I guess. Ice-make: _Arrow!_ " He let loose his attack without pausing in his conversation with Narun, causing a small cloud of steam to billow around the bird's body.

" _Kienzan!_ " Narun shouted, hurling the disk at the bird's neck. He seriously doubted that he could behead it, but it was worth a shot.

Just as he predicted, the projectile passed through the thing's neck, but it just re-attached itself to the body without a pause on the bird's part. " _Looks like he's really immortal,_ " Narun scowled.

"Hey, if anyone can wreck an immortal, it's this guild," Gajeel grinned as he and Pantherlily floated beside him while Gray went in for another close attack. "They're too dumb to know what 'immortal' even means."

"Kaidon, I'm ready!" Azura shouted from where she had remained since the battle had begun. "Get everyone away from it!"

" _You heard her!_ " Narun bellowed as loud as he could. " _Retreat! That technique targets those with impure hearts, but the blast radius can still fry us we're too close!_ " The others took the hint and began to head back to the surface as fast as they could.

" **Where do you think you're going, little ones?** " the phoenix snarled at them. It began to dive, even as Azura threw the now-huge bomb at it. The blue sphere chased after the ancient fire bird, but it wasn't going to catch up in time for it obliterate the beast before it could attack the others.

Narun looked back to see the monster gaining on them and cursed. He was only minutes away from being forced to diffuse, and when he did, there would be no one left to slow it down enough for the others to get away. Azura was too busy steering the bomb to be of any help in keeping it back, which meant that he would need to do it himself.

The issue was that if he expelled too much energy in one go, he might end up running out of time early. As it was, he was using a new transformation that had never been seen before, so he had no idea if it was going to affect his time limit.

 _Aw, what the hell?_ He thought resignedly. _This entire battle's been a massive risk. Might as well go for broke._

" _Super Slayer Secret Art!_ " he shouted, coming to a stop between the phoenix and his friends. Some of the others looked back to see him conjure a huge golden-orange magic circle as he drew back his right fist. " _Crimson Lotus… DRAGON FIST!_ "

A massive, spectral dragon like the one Gorun had used against Zirconis shimmered into existence as Narun charged back up at the ancient menace. However, unlike the golden, green-eyes serpent that the Saiyan boy had summoned, this one was red with blazing orange eyes.

The phoenix faltered, caught off-guard by the appearance of a dragon that was even bigger than it was. Then the conjured lizard smashed into it with thunderous force, dragon fire forcing phoenix flames back up into the air- and right into the massive spirit bomb that it had been avoiding.

There was a resounding explosion, and the two fire beasts were swallowed up by the energy of the etherion blast. So loud was the sound that no one heard Kinana screaming in terror.

* * *

"Did… did that do it?" Freed asked heavily, panting for breath.

"Let's hope so," Mirajane muttered in her demon form. "None of us have very much fight left in us."

"Speak for yourself," Gajeel chuckled, though he too was sweating and breathing heavily. "I could… go for another round with that thing."

"This isn't the time for false bravado!" Carla chided him. "I'm still sensing a monstrous amount of magic energy above us."

"It's gotta be Gorun," Romeo said as he floated next to Kinana, who was watching the dark smoke that had resulted from the meeting of the flames and spirit bomb, waiting for the first sign of her boyfriend to come out of it with that easy grin of his, just like he always did.

"He's right, it'd take more than that to finish him," Macao agreed as he floated beside them. "Just wait, I'm sure he's-"

"There!" Happy exclaimed as something began to drop from the smoke, but just who or what it was could not be made out immediately. Then it cleared the smoke and ash, and they all realized that it was not one, but two forms falling from the sky.

"Gorun!" Kinana shouted as she flew up to catch him once she noticed that he wasn't slowing down as he fell toward the earth headfirst.

"I'm coming, Natsu!" Happy added as he went to retrieve his best friend. The pair caught up their friends and were immediately alarmed at the state they found them in.

"They're all out of magic power!" Kinana shouted as she rushed back to rejoin the others. "They're barely alive!"

" _Does fusing without the rings do that to you?_ " Lucino asked nervously.

"No, that's what happens… when you piss off a phoenix apparently," Azura groaned as she floated down through the smoke to join them, bruised and burned. "They used up all their energy with that last attack, but the backlash from the phoenix's fire, coupled with the spirit bomb explosion… They're lucky to be alive."

"Wendy, help them!" Kinana begged.

"R-Right!" the girl said as she allowed her Dragon Force to fade away and had Carla take her closer to them.

"No…" Gorun protested weakly as he stirred in his girlfriend's arms. "Senzu beans for Natsu and I… Help Azura first."

"Why?" she asked, though Wendy moved to do as he asked.

"Because… we need to be ready to fight again, soon as possible," he grunted as he reached into his gi's shirt. He pulled out a green bean and crunched on it quickly, blinking as he felt his pain wash away and his power being restored in seconds.

"What do you mean, fight again?" Cana demanded. "You blasted it with that crazy-giant death ball! It can't still be alive, can it?!" Despite her arguments, everyone looked up expectantly at the cloud of smoke again, dreading the answer that their friend would provide.

Gorun shook his head as he looked back up at the smoke while floating on his own power once more, the ash slowly beginning to dissipate. "We wounded it, that's for sure. Looks like we even managed to extinguish him for a minute. But I can still sense its life force… And it's getting stronger by the second. He's coming back for round two."

" _And he's probably gonna be angry about being bombed_ ," Lucino said dryly.

"But how do we beat it permanently?" Erza asked as she came closer to him while he reached for another senzu bean. "There has to be something we can do."

"If that didn't kill it, I doubt there's anything we can do, aside from throwing it into the vacuum of space, or becoming gods," Azura muttered, hating the fact that she was being forced to concede defeat.

Gorun's head snapped up as she spoke, having just finished force-feeding Natsu the magic food. "Hold on a sec," he said quickly. "What'd you say?"

"What, the space idea, or becoming gods?" Azura replied. "Because even we aren't powerful enough to push him into space, fusions or not, and we don't have ten, or even five other saiyans to help us use the Super Saiyan god ritual."

"No… but we have plenty of strong wizards present," Gorun said as he looked around at his friends. "They could help us. Or at least, help me."

"Why you?" Azura demanded. "Also, history clearly states that you need five Saiyans, not humans! Your plan won't work!"

"But we're not all Saiyan, are we?" Gorun said with a delighted grin. "Part of us is human. And in my case, I've already got divine blood in my veins. Maybe the same rules won't apply to us."

"I'm sorry, what was that about divine blood?" Azura asked, completely bewildered. "Are you sure the phoenix didn't knock your brain loose?"

"Didn't you catch how the Supreme Kai of Time called herself my grandmother?" Gorun reminded her.

"I honestly thought that was some weird term of affection she had for you, seeing as you were always her favorite," the girl replied sourly. "But you're saying…"

"Yeah, apparently I'm her and Trunks' grandson," Gorun nodded. "My mother was able to achieve Super Saiyan Blue even though my father never could, remember? She's the only one other than Goku and Vegeta that has ever managed to achieve and sustain the divine power on her own."

"Because she's half-kai," Azura realized aloud. "Oh…"

"Maybe with a little help, I can do the same," her cousin said while maintaining his smile. "What do you say? Shall we give it a shot, or would you rather try to fight the phoenix the same way twice?" As he spoke, they all realized that the air around them was growing uncomfortably hot again.

"We don't have very long," Erza said sharply. "If you two have a plan, we need to know what it is, before the phoenix comes back."

"Well, Azura?" Gorun demanded sharply. "Are we going to do this or not?"

The blue-haired girl looked between her rival and the smoke obscuring the reviving phoenix a couple of times before she muttered, "All right, we'll try it. But I'm honestly expecting this to blow up in our faces."

"Maybe if you keep up that attitude," Gorun snapped.

* * *

"Is everyone ready?" Gorun asked the circle of people that had joined hands with him and each other. "You know what to do?" He and the rest of the Fairy Tail wizards were inside of a storehouse in the ruins of the city, one that had yet to be damaged by the battle. They knew it wouldn't hide them for long once the phoenix was back up to full strength, but it was better than nothing.

"Pour all of our energy into you that we can muster without killing ourselves," Laxus replied. "Yeah, we got that." He, Kinana, Natsu, Gray, and Erza were the ones that had volunteered to donate their power to his potential ascension.

A few feet away, Azura had joined hands with Mirajane, Wendy, Gajeel, Lucino, and surprisingly, Juvia. The rain woman had been avoiding Gorun and Gray during the battle, which explained why Narun hadn't realized that she was there the whole time. Looking back on it, Gorun realized that he had seen her in his peripheral vision a couple of times, but he had been preoccupied with stopping the immortal fire bird.

"Let's do this," he announced. Everyone else nodded their agreement, and thus did they begin the transfer of power into their Saiyan comrades.

Immediately, a blue glow surrounded the twelve participants, drawing several gasps of surprise from them, Azura included, but Gorun remained calm and collected. "Keep going," he told them. "It's working."

"I don't believe it…" Azura whispered, in awe of that fact, and the power she could feel flooding her limbs.

Up above, they could hear the angry screeches of the phoenix, and the explosions that were caused by its vengeful search. However, they all ignored it as best they could while they continued the ritual.

When the last dregs of power had been absorbed by the two Saiyans, they began to float upwards, the blue auras swirling around them and seeping into their flesh. There was a blinding glow, and intangible pulses of energy that heralded their new transformations. Those that had participated staggered back, exhausted, but also eager to see what the result was.

They didn't have to wait long. Soon after they were swallowed by the divine light, the two warriors descended back into their midst, now changed by the power they had received.

"Hey, what's the idea?!" Natsu demanded. "I thought this whole thing was supposed to make 'em stronger! Why aren't I sensing any magic power comin' from them?!"

"I think it did _something_ to them," Romeo said as he pointed at their heads. "Check out the new hairdos!" Both Saiyans were now sporting bright red hair and eyes, just as Romeo had indicated. However, unlike their previous transformations, their hair stayed the way it was in their base forms instead of standing on end.

"Did they lose some weight, too?" Wakaba said with a frown. For indeed, although they were still well-built, their muscles had definitely become much slimmer than before.

"They actually look weaker now," Gajeel scowled. "Seriously? All that for nothing?"

"Maybe we did it wrong?" Happy asked nervously.

"No, we succeeded," Kinana finally said. "They've become Super Saiyan gods. The reason we can't sense their energy is because mortals can't detect the power of divine beings like them."

"So… they can beat the phoenix now?" Cana asked worriedly.

"We'll soon find out, won't we?" Gorun answered with a sly grin. Looking at his comrade, he added, "Ready to try these new powers out?"

"Hehe… Twin gods against a phoenix," Azura grinned fiercely. "If only Grandpa Vegeta could see us now."

"Told you this world could be fun," her comrade chuckled. "Now let's go!" His body suddenly began to emanate a fiery aura, Azura following suit. The others still couldn't sense their energy, but they became aware of a pressure in the air that was strangely intimidating.

Then, faster than they had ever seen anything move, the two newly-awoken deities shot up, crashing through the roof and out into the open to challenge the phoenix. It happened so quickly that it took the other wizards a few seconds to realize what had happened.

"I guess it did work," Laxus grinned. "So, who wants to go watch them fight the phoenix?"

"Count me in," Natsu grinned. "If I can't take part in the fight, I definitely wanna watch it!"

"Can't let him go alone, so I guess I'll be joining you guys," Gray smirked.

"C'mon guys, we all know we're going," Gajeel said while rolling his eyes. "So let's just get a move on, already."

* * *

Azura and Gorun both stared at the phoenix, which glowered back at them. " **You were unwise to reveal yourselves to me,** " it growled. " **You will suffer my flames a thousand times before I send you to the depths of darkness. I am the immortal phoenix, and I will not be made to suffer such-** "

 _Blam!_

The fire bird went soaring upwards at an unexpectedly high speed once Gorun's fist connected with its face. "The biggest problem with bad guys?" he muttered as he stared up at the monster, which was struggling to right itself and figure out what on earth had just happened to it. "They don't know how to shut up and just fight."

"Then let's give it a lesson in how combat is supposed to be," Azura grinned with a fierce gleam in her crimson eyes. "Basic fighting one-oh-one: remedial kick-ass."

"Oh man, I love that class!" Gorun laughed as they became crimson comets rocketing up toward the fire bird, ready to end it once and for all.

* * *

 **Mataras: Are you done?**

 **Gorun: ...Yes.**

 **Mataras: Good. Now, I'm already predicting at least a little bit of backlash for the ascension method, but honestly, if the rules about becoming a SSJ God were so strict, there's no way the group would have been able to pull it off in the Battle of Gods film. Most of the people participating were at least half-human, so I don't think what I've done here is much of a stretch. Also, if you thought the fusion was too easily accomplished, just remember that Natsu has displayed a keen eye for attention to detail when it comes to fighting techniques on multiple occasions. When the stakes are high, he knows not to screw around (too much), and Gorun has had a lifetime of practice in altering his power levels. The fact that they have successfully performed the technique before would also lend itself to their chances of success, even without the metamo-rings.**

 **Azura: You really are concerned over the potential criticism of these maneuvers, aren't you?**

 **Mataras: Little bit, yeah.**

 **Gorun: Ah, don't worry about it too much. People will like it, and they'll review, or they'll hate it, and they won't come back. You've made up your mind on how this story should go, and that's that.**

 **Saiki: What a pain, having to worry about how your work is received.**

 **Mataras: I value the consumer's thoughts on the matter!**

 **Azura: He's just going to keep worrying about it, let's move on.**

 **Gorun: Coming June, 2019- Demon vs Divinity.**

 **Saiki: If you wish to see an image of Azura and Gorun in their god forms, find Mataras on Instagram at the_red_swordsman**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

The twin deities were everywhere at once, it seemed. Armed with the energy given to them by Fairy Tail, they were a force without equal. Etherion blasts rained down on the raging fire bird, accompanied by blows that could have levelled mountains, all of which was being delivered so rapidly that there was no time for the monster to retaliate.

" **What is this?!** " the phoenix raged after a few moments of this treatment.

"This is what happens when you try to burn our home down, monster," Gorun replied as he zipped over to be in front of its beak. "There are consequences when you hurt the ones I care about."

" **You are all of you, nothing!** " the phoenix bellowed defiantly. " **Humans are mortal, and mortals are nothing to the Etherious!** "

"The what now?" Gorun asked, cocking his head to the side curiously. "What's a-"

 _Blam!_

"Less talking, more pummeling!" Azura shouted at him as she leaped off of where she had slammed her feet into the monster's head. "We don't have forever in these forms!"

"All right, no need to be pushy," Gorun snorted. With a lazy flick of his wrist, he sent a Kienzan at the phoenix's wing, shearing through the flaming canopy. Sparks and magma dripped form the wound this time, and it didn't look to be resealing itself, either.

"Azura!" he called as he pointed. "He's not regenerating!"

"So we _can_ beat him," she affirmed with a terse nod. "Then let's get to it!"

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Narun

Fusion Technique: Metamoran

Counterparts: Son Gorun and Natsu Dragneel

Conception/ Author's Commentary:  
Narun is honestly a large part of why this story even exists in the first place. I remember thinking one day, 'What if a Saiyan and a Dragon Slayer fused? What would that look like?' From there it took off onto a series of questions that were mostly designed to create a believable scenario in which that could happen. A few months after that, I started releasing chapters for Saiyan Tail, and I have loved every minute of it.  
For a while I couldn't decide whether or not to make the fusion happen via potara earrings or the metamoran dance, but eventually I settled on the latter, since I want to save the kai's technique for something special. I'm also a big fan of the clothing style that comes about from this type of fusion, so that was a double-win for me.  
Personality-wise, I thought that he would probably have the attitude of a typical fusion; brash, kind of a show-off, but also aware that his time is limited, so he has a tendency not to hesitate in combat. Unfortunately, I don't see much of an opportunity to develop his character outside of battle, but then, that's not really the point of a fused person. Either way, I'm glad my brain cooked him up, because he's a lot of fun to work with.

Known Techniques:

-Fire Dragon Slayer Magic/ Natsu's Moves  
-Etherion Magic/ Gorun's moves

-Twin Fire Stars: a move inspired by Lord Slug's Twin Darkness Stars. Narun conjures two balls of etherion/dragon fire and sets them on an erratic rotation pattern around his body, allowing to either intercept incoming attacks, or send them forth as projectiles. Each bolt has the destructive capabilities of a Big Bang Attack, and has been shown to be strong enough to stun third-generation dragon slayers.  
-Brilliant Flame Kamehameha: a move inspired by Gogeta's Big Bang Kamehameha. Narun conjures a large ball of dragon fire in front of himself then makes it erupt in the direction away from him with his etherion. In his base form, the attack was powerful enough to be on par with Natsu's Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade. When used in combination with the Super Slayer transformation, the heat it generated was enough to melt the armored shell of the phoenix, and incinerate an entire section of Veronica in the span of two seconds.  
-Crimson Lotus Dragon Fist: a move inspired by Goku's Dragon Fist. Narun conjures a spectral dragon containing massive amounts of etherion and dragon fire that envelops his body before charging at his opponent to deal catastrophic damage to them. The exact potential of this move is unknown, as it was used against an immortal in tandem with a Super Spirit Bomb.

Known Transformations/ Enhancements:

-Super Slayer (Golden Dragon Soul):

A transformation that combines the powers of Super Saiyan and Dragon Force, giving the user the golden hair of an ascended Saiyan and the scales that appear on the body of a Fire Dragon Slayer when they are at their most powerful, though they are also gold in color as opposed to a dark red. Multiplies the caster's power by 75 times that of their base strength.

Equipment/ Items Used:

-Metamo-Rings  
-Sealed Container

Accomplishments:

-Defeated Sting and Rogue on Day Four of the Grand Magic Games  
-Killed Dyst in the battle against the phoenix  
-Destroyed the base form of the Immortal Phoenix

Stats (Metamo-Rings):

-Power: 7/7  
-Speed: 7/7  
-Technique: 6/7  
-Intelligence: 5/7  
-Cooperativeness: 4/7

Stats (Traditional Fusion):

-Power: 9/7  
-Speed: 8/7  
-Technique: 7/7  
-Intelligence: 5/7  
-Cooperativeness: 4/7

Fun Facts:

-Narun appears to be aware of the attraction between Natsu and Lucy, as he compares it to the bond that Kinana and Gorun share, though Natsu has not yet said anything on the matter, despite retaining memories of being fused

-Narun's base form (when created with the metamo-rings) is thought to be as strong- if not stronger- than Gildarts

-Although not shown in the story, Narun is prone to motion sickness like Natsu

-His guild mark is a dark green with a crimson outline, located on his right bicep


	22. Demon vs Divinity

**A/N: Hello, everybody! The poll has been closed and the choice has been made! For those of you that doubt, I've made the results public by now so that you may know that Mirajane and Lisanna will be fusing during the Tartaros arc, coming in the winter of 2019! (Sorry, Gajeel and Natsu, maybe another time?) In any case, when the chapter featuring this fusion comes along, I will be sure to post a sketch of it for that month, and keep it on my Instagram permanently.**

 **Now, I know some of you were excited (and some of you definitely weren't) about the Super Saiyan God rituals that took place. Regardless, it happened, it was awesome, and now we get to see Azura and Gorun take on the true form of the phoenix. It's gonna be awesome! ...Also, slightly reminiscent of Sonic X episode 38 (don't hold it against me, that show was awesome!)**

 **Op Song: Guren no Yumiya (original or cover by Jonathan Young)**

 **P.S. Not Your Average Productions will be attending the 2019 Duke City Comic Con in Albuquerque, NM from June 7-9, so if you're in the area, come check us out!**

 **P.P.S. Go check out the playthrough for Super Dragon Ball Heroes that I've started doing- it's too much fun, really.**

* * *

 _Rival Arc: Chapter 5_

Demon vs. Divinity

The twin deities were everywhere at once, it seemed. Armed with the energy given to them by Fairy Tail, they were a force without equal. Etherion blasts rained down on the raging fire bird, accompanied by blows that could have levelled mountains, all of which was being delivered so rapidly that there was no time for the monster to retaliate.

" **What is this?!** " the phoenix raged after a few moments of this treatment.

"This is what happens when you try to burn our home down, monster," Gorun replied as he zipped over to be in front of its beak. "There are consequences when you hurt the ones I care about."

" **You are all of you, nothing!** " the phoenix bellowed defiantly. " **Humans are mortal, and mortals are nothing to the Etherious!** "

"The what now?" Gorun asked, cocking his head to the side curiously. "What's a-"

 _Blam!_

"Less talking, more pummeling!" Azura shouted at him as she leaped off of where she had slammed her feet into the monster's head. "We don't have forever in these forms!"

"All right, no need to be pushy," Gorun snorted. With a lazy flick of his wrist, he sent a Kienzan at the phoenix's wing, shearing through the flaming canopy. Sparks and magma dripped form the wound this time, and it didn't look to be resealing itself, either.

"Azura!" he called as he pointed. "He's not regenerating!"

"So we _can_ beat him," she affirmed with a terse nod. "Then let's get to it!"

" **How… How are wounding me?!** " their enemy demanded. " **I am the immortal phoenix! I cannot be destroyed or bested by mere humans!** "

"We're not humans, not completely," Gorun answered as he gathered energy in his right hand while bunching it into a fist. "We're the first Super Saiyan gods of Fiore… And you're the first on our list of things to smite." As he grinned at the phoenix, he was amazed at how little energy he seemed to need for a technique that had nearly killed him only a few weeks ago.

" **All you gods… think yourselves beyond reach,** " the phoenix snarled. " **But… the master of the Etherious is coming… and not even you will be able to escape his reach when he does.** "

"What's this Etherious you keep talking about?" Gorun asked, in spite of himself.

"Kaidon!" Azura warned him, but he waved her off, focusing on the beast that looked at him with disgust.

" **The Etherious are a race of demons… all created by Lord Zeref four hundred years ago,** " the phoenix replied. " **I am one of his last creations… and his most powerful, save for two.** "

"You're saying that there are two demons out there stronger than you are?" Gorun asked skeptically. "Well, if they happen to be immortal like you, heh, then when we see them, we'll tell them to tell you 'hello' for us."

" **Fools!** " the phoenix roared. " **The King of the Underworld is soon upon you, and then woe until all who stand in his path! Even his servants fear him!** "

"So is that why you wanted to nuke the planet?" Gorun guessed as he watched Azura ready a Spirit Blade with her right hand. "To get rid of this King of the Underworld? You're afraid of him?"

" **Only a fool would not be afraid of the monster among monsters,** " the phoenix warned the boy.

"Okay…" Gorun shrugged. "Well, seeing as you weren't so hard to beat after we unlocked our god powers and everything, I doubt I'm going to have too much trouble against this guy and his number two man. Or, demon. I dunno, what do you call the other one, the vice overlord of hell?"

" **E.N.D. is no one's inferior** ," the phoenix said with something that sounded like bitterness in its voice. " **He was created by Lord Zeref to be unstoppable. I would know, for I fell short of his expectations, yet still found myself cursed to exist for eternity.** "

"Wait, you were Zeref's first attempt at creating this E.N.D. thing?" Gorun asked, barely holding back his laughter, until a disturbing thought hit him. "Wait, if an immortal fire bird wasn't good enough for him… What was?"

" **That, primitive mortal, is something you will not live to find out!** " the phoenix roared, its flames increasing in size and intensity. " **If I am to die at your hand, then everything you love will be snatched from you!** "

"Yeah, I've done this whole song and dance before," Gorun deadpanned. "Now, Azura!"

The girl nodded curtly and stabbed downward from above the phoenix's back, right through to where the heart of most birds would be. The phoenix let out a scream so loud that it made both Gorun and Azura's sensitive ears bleed, but they both maintained their courses.

Azura was screaming that she had hit its core, the fused phoenix stone, but Gorun couldn't hear her. It didn't matter though, the scream they had both just heard was enough of an indicator for him.

"Dragon _Fist!_ " he shouted, launching forward as he conjured the titanic projection. He aimed for where Azura's blade would have passed through the middle of its body, and willed the dragon to snatch up and crush the small stone to dust.

There was a brilliant flash of golden light that burst through the back of the phoenix, and just missed Azura. When it faded, there was Gorun, holding a few grains of gray dust that was all that remained of the phoenix stones.

"So do we win now?" he chuckled, earning him a swat on the head from his cousin. "Ow, hey!"

"You owe me that much, stealing the kill again," she snorted, her crimson eyes flashing dangerously as she silently dared him to disagree.

He was about to utter a sharp retort when the fiery remnants of the phoenix blazed with new life, startling them both. "Oh, come on!" he groaned. "Is it actually immortal?!"

"No, it's dead," Azura told him tightly. "I felt its life force drain away the moment you crushed the stone. But the flames have survived, somehow. And it looks like they're headed right for all of your friends." Gorun noticed that she was right- the ball of flames that was the last of the phoenix's power was now hurtling towards Veronica, far below them.

"Oh crap!" he shouted as he sped away in a burst of red energy.

* * *

"What are those two up to now?" Makarov grumbled as he, Éclair, and Momon walked into the midst of his guild's top fighters. The little bird was still unconscious, but looked to be recovering slowly in his friend's arms.

"Oh, hey master," Cana said by way of greeting.

"Gorun and Azura had us help them with an ancient ritual that awakened them to new levels of power," Kinana answered the old man. "It'll take a while to explain the whole thing, but basically they've become something called Super Saiyan gods, which have a different kind of energy than mortals do. We're hoping that it'll be enough of a difference to let them kill the phoenix."

"You don't need to worry about that," Éclair said grimly, placing a hand over her heart as she spoke. "I feel… different."

" _Different how_?" Lucino asked. Despite having nearly all of her power drained by the ritual, she had remained fused due to the metamo-rings.

"Like an old wound that refused to heal for a long time has finally been cleansed and mended," Éclair answered. "I believe that I am no longer immortal."

"Which means that they did it!" Wendy exclaimed. "They beat the phoenix!" She and Romeo exchanged a high-five while others in the guild broke out into cheers.

However, Gray and Erza were still looking skyward when the ice wizard asked, "So, if they stopped the phoenix… what's that?"

Everyone paused in their premature celebrations to look at where he was pointing. Many of them felt the blood drain from their faces when they noticed the fireball the size of a mountain heading toward the city they stood in at top speed.

"The dying cry of the phoenix," Éclair whispered. "Its life maybe gone, but the eternal flames were not without purpose when they were cast!"

"What do you mean?!" Erza demanded.

"If that flame touches the earth and burns it as the phoenix intended, it will be reborn amid the ashes that remain!" the girl replied, her face drawn and pale. "Then the cycle will simply repeat itself!"

"So we gotta stop that thing from hitting Earthland?" Gray asked as he maintained his gaze on the giant fireball.

"If there is to be an Earthland at all, then yes," Éclair nodded. "I can only pray that your friends' new power will be enough to save us."

" _Girl, have you been watching this guild at all?_ " Lucino grinned at their companion. " _Like we're going to just sit back and let those two do all the heavy lifting._ "

"You're all out of magic power, though!" Eclair protested. "You can't do anything!"

"Heh, if we've run outta magic power today, then we'll just borrow some from tomorrow," Gajeel grinned as he looked over his shoulder at Natsu, who had gotten to his feet with Happy gripping his back. "Ain't that right, Salamander?"

"Quit stealin' my lines, Metal-head," Natsu smirked back. "Once the phoenix is thrashed, I'm gunning for you, next."

"Lookin' forward to it."

"Are you all completely brain-dead?!" Éclair shouted at them. "A miniaturized sun is about to fall on our heads, and you all stand around making jokes?!"

"There a better time?" Gray chuckled.

"Those of you that can, get ready for the final push," Erza said as she began to float upwards, still clad in her new Fairy Kai armor. "One way or the other, we're going to end this."

* * *

"We can't let that blast hit the planet!" Gorun roared as Azura came to over beside him, making them two the only things between the phoenix's revenge and the planet they now called home.

"We have to push it back into space!" Azura shouted to be heard above the roaring flames. "If we retaliate with our Kamehameha, it could blow up right here and rip a hole in the atmosphere!"

"Or just like every other energy blast we come across, we can push it back with etherion waves!" Gorun argued, even as the fireball drew closer. "These things never blow up until they make contact with something physical!"

"In our world, perhaps, but can you honestly tell me that you know enough about how this magic works to say _for certain_ that it won't blow up in our faces?!" Azura demanded. "You could kill your friends down there, Kaidon!"

He glowered at her, his aura flaring brightly. For a moment, she thought he would strike her. Then he turned back to the phoenix's remains and snapped, "Let's do it. But if we die, I'm throwing you off the Snake Way path so you go straight to hell."

"Only if I don't dump you in the soul-cleansing machine first," Azura snorted with a savage grin. "See if that doesn't finally get you to fight me head-on."

"It might!" Gorun grunted as he began to exert all the energy that he could out of his hands, pushing back against the fireball that would end his home. "Now shut up and help me!" Azura, surprisingly, complied without a word of contradiction, exerting her own power in order to push back against the flames.

Between the two of them, they were able to slow it down considerably- but not stop it, much less force it back. "This is a problem!" Gorun grunted. It felt like the weight of the flames were doubling with every passing second, no matter how hard he pushed back.

"And I think we have another one," Azura answered in kind. "I've lost it, Kaidon."

"Lost… what?!" he demanded, looking over at his blue-haired cousin. "What did you- oh." Her hair was blue again- which meant that the power of the Super Saiyan God had left her. "Already?!" he complained. "How did you use up that much power so quickly?!"

"I think it has more to do with the energy sources than my ability to control it," she replied tartly as she engaged her mystic enhancement.

At least she could still do that, he thought. _Not that it will make much of a difference at this rate._

"So am I down, too?" he grunted, sweating enough that he had to blink to clear his eyes repeatedly. "I can't tell if I got weaker or if this thing is just getting heavier!"

"No!" Azura said with a negative shake of her head. "You've still got the red hair and I can't sense your power anymore! For some reason your transformation is lasting longer than mine!"

"Probably the kai blood I've got in me!" he answered. "I was born with divine nature, maybe I just needed help in accessing it!"

"Well congratulations your eminence, you just got the job of saving the world on your own!" Azura snarled. "I'm hardly making a difference against this thing with the state I'm in, so if you have an ace up your sleeve, I suggest you use it before we're all toast!"

"Yeah, I've got an ace!" he grinned over at her. "It's called having friends; you should try it sometime!"

"What are you-?"

"Hey guys!" Natsu cackled as he and Happy flew up to be just a few yards below them. "Need a hand?"

"As many as we can afford!" Gorun panted. "This thing is really heavy!"

"Looks tasty, but I don't wanna explode if I eat too much of it," Natsu laughed. "All right, lots of help, coming right up!" He cupped his hands by his right side, causing Azura's eyes to widen.

"Hold on, you might cause it to explode!" she shouted at him.

"Better up here than down there!" Natsu shot back. "Now lemme do this! Gorun's told me all about the kinds of fights your people had in your world! This looks about as close as I'm gonna get to one of those 'bean battles', so I'm takin' the shot!"

"Beam battle!" Gorun corrected him through a laugh.

"Whatever," Natsu shrugged. " _Fire Dragon KAMEHAMEHA!_ " His fiery attack slammed into the phoenix's, and Gorun felt the weight on his hands give just a little.

He looked over at Azura with a blank expression, to which she replied, "It was a legitimate concern!"

"I'm holding this over your head until the end of eternity," he replied flatly.

"Whatever!" she shouted. "One person won't make a difference!"

"Sweetheart, you're gonna learn around here that one person can make all the difference!" Gajeel laughed as he hovered beside Natsu, Levy right behind him with wings on her back, apparently created with her solid script magic. "Ready, squirt?"

"You bet!" the blue-haired bookworm grinned up at him. "Solid Script: _Lightning_!" A bolt of electricity flew from her pen, joining the fight alongside Natsu's attack.

" _Iron Dragon DESTRUCTO DISC!_ " The metallic spell flew inside the lightning bolt, gaining power as it merged with Levy's spell, augmenting them both into something greater than they had been before.

" _Hey, Gorun!_ " Lucino shouted as she floated upwards using Libra's gravity alterations. " _I've been working on a little something that I think you'll wanna see!_ "

"If it will help me with this giant death ball, I would very much like to see it!" he laughed nervously. "Seriously, this is really, really heavy!"

" _Fine, I'll cut to the chase,_ " the girl grumbled as she floated just on the edge of his peripheral vision. He saw a series of sparkling golden lights flashing in rapid succession before she shouted, " _Heaven's Cluster Grenade!_ " Several dozen golden bolts of energy flew at the phoenix's fire, each strike taking a little bit more of pressure off of Gorun's hands.

"You used my Hellzone Grenade?!" he asked, surprised.

" _Yup!_ " she said tiredly. " _Took me a lot of practice before I could hit anything other than the air, but I figured it out! Master Mavis didn't even have to help!_ "

"Impressive!" was all Gorun could think to say.

"Ice make: _Freezing GALLICK GUN!_ " Gray's voice joined the chorus of those standing between the wrath of the fire bird and their world.

" _Scorching Masenko!_ " Romeo added.

" _Hydro Beam Cannon!_ " That was Juvia.

"Fairy Kai armor, enhancement level fifteen!" Erza grunted as she shoved against the attack with all the power she could muster.

"Sky Dragon _Double Sunday!_ " Wendy cried.

"Take this, _Lightning Dragon's FINAL FLASH_!" Laxus boomed.

Azura was speechless as she saw all the techniques and powers that had been passed down through her family for generations, now taken and enhanced by these strange wizards. Looking over at Gorun, she asked, "You taught them all how to do this?"

"Yes," someone else answered for him as they came to fly very close to his side. Looking closer, Azura could see that it was the purple-haired girl that Gorun was so fond of. Now she spoke again, saying, "Gorun showed us all that it doesn't matter who has the bigger power level or numbers. There's always a way to win if you rely on one another." She then activated her own Kaioken five times over. "Gallick Gun, _Fire!_ "

With every member of Fairy Tail that was able to fight standing against the last of the phoenix's power, they were at complete stalemate. However, Gorun knew that everyone there was running dangerously low on magic energy. If they didn't find a way to win soon, it would all be for nothing.

" _You can do it, Gorun_!"

The Saiyan was surprised to hear Macao encouraging him, but he wasn't the only one.

" _Give it all you've got, Azura!_ " Wakaba shouted, surprising them both.

 _Warren's telepathy,_ Gorun realized. It made sense- the guy was no battle mage, but he could still get messages across in a fight like this.

" _If you fail, the entire planet_ will _be destroyed,_ " Éclair was warning them.

" _Tough it out like real men!_ " Elfman shouted, bringing a smile to Gorun's lips.

" _You can do it!_ " Lisanna encouraged them.

" _We know you can!_ " Mirajane added.

" _Godspeed, my children,_ " Makarov said gravely.

"Kaidon," Azura gasped, bringing his attention back to what was in front of him. He looked over to see that she was shaking and sweating heavily, but keeping strong in the face of this seemingly never-ending threat. "These people… still need you, Kaidon."

Something in her gaze reached out to him in that moment, and then he realized that he was not just fighting to protect his new home world. He was fighting to protect his family, which included her. In that moment, he didn't care how many times that they had fought in the past, or that they would likely still hate each other when this was all over. He just wanted to keep them all safe.

"I told you…" he said in a loud growl, his aura suddenly expanding as he shoved back even harder against the remnant flames. "My name… is Gorun! _Son Gorun of Fairy Tail!_ " He shoved himself back, his divine energy blazing like a star, even against the light of the phoenix's wrath.

"Whoa, what's going on?!" Wendy yelped, but Gorun ignored her.

"You ready, Genora?" he asked her, his gaze fixed on the fire ball. "Like we practiced when we were kids?"

"You got it," she grinned as she shoved herself to be back-to-back with him. "Here we go!" Her own power grew in the heat of the moment, merging with and amplifying his own strength.

" _Chaos…!_ " he snarled, hurling forth a massive green blast at the flames.

" _CONTROL!_ " she added, unleashing an etherion wave of a deep blue color.

The two energies mixed together in mid-flight, merging until they became indistinguishable from one another, just before they struck the fire. There was a burst of light and heat, then in an instant, the fire was gone, never to be seen again.

All that was left from the conflict were the two former gods, now completely drained of their powers. Fortunately, they had several people nearby to keep them from plummeting to their deaths.

"So, uh…?" Natsu asked after a disturbingly quiet moment. "Did we win now?"

"Yeah, Natsu…" Gorun chuckled weakly, his head pounding terribly. "We won. We pulled through… for you guys." Then his eyes closed, and he knew no more.

* * *

Éclair and Makarov were sitting quietly among the rubble with some of their other guild mates while Wendy worked on healing Gorun and Azura, whose energy reserves were completely spent to the point of illness. Seeing as Wendy was pretty tired herself, it was slow going getting the two Saiyans to recover.

"Your guild's wizards are truly incredible," Éclair told the old man after a stretch of silence. "Foolhardy, but incredible."

"Yes, I've often said the same thing myself," Makarov chuckled softly. "Especially this Gorun fellow, and now Azura… I wonder how much longer I'll be able to keep up with these brats."

"As long as they need you to," Éclair replied.

"Hmph," the wizard saint grunted. "What will you do now, Miss Éclair? You live on, despite the death of the phoenix. Have you any place to go?"

"I have a world to call my home," the girl smiled softly. "And with the death of the phoenix, I suspect that I will begin to age as nature had originally intended. So long as I don't lose my memories again, I think it will be nice to live a normal life."

"You could always come with us," Makarov offered. "You and Momon would both be welcome additions to our guild."

"I once acted as an oracle, but I have no practice with genuine magic," Éclair replied. "I doubt that I could be of any use to your guild."

"Fairy Tail isn't about whose useful and who isn't," Lucy interjected as she approached them, having separated from Yukino a few minutes prior. "When I joined, I was nowhere near the level I am now, but that didn't matter to everyone else."

"Lucy is right," Makarov nodded. "Magic power means nothing to us, only your heart. Besides, you may have more talent for magic than you think."

"How do you mean?" Éclair inquired.

"Your father, Kalard, was one of the brightest and most talented wizards of his time," the guild master answered. "His blood runs in your veins, which means that he might have passed on some of his talents, too."

"I don't know…" Éclair hesitated. "I've never tried my hand at magic. Like I told Lucy, I've always hated it, so I've had little reason to experiment with it."

"It's a new day for your life," Lucy replied. "Maybe trying something new to mark the end of the phoenix's hold on your life will be a good way to close that chapter. Besides…" The blond girl gave her new friend a big grin as she added, "It's not like you've got somewhere else to be now, is there?"

"Hmm…" Éclair smiled slightly back. "You both make compelling arguments. I'll accompany you back to Magnolia, at least. There are just a few things I need to sort out before I decide."

"As you wish, my dear," Makarov nodded. "Take all the time you need."

"Just know that Fairy Tail likes throwing huge parties whenever we take home a win, so things'll get noisy when we make it home," Lucy giggled.

"I think I may just make my own way out of Veronica…" Eclair said with mock severity. She and Lucy exchanged a look before bursting into helpless laughter.

* * *

"Oh…" Gorun groaned as he came to, his head pounding like a jackhammer. "Wow… Grandpa Goku was not kidding about the hangover effect from that ritual."

"You're telling me…?" Azura moaned, rubbing her temples with the palms of her hands.

" _Gorun_!" The boy was tackled by his team just as he was starting to sit up, sending his head spinning even worse than before.

"Why, Shenron?" he complained as he tried not to throw up.

"You beat it!" Romeo laughed as he and the two girls helped him get back into a sitting position. "You killed an immortal monster!"

"Nah, kid," Gorun said with a hoarse laugh. Putting an arm around Kinana and Romeo each, he said, " _We_ beat it. If it had just been me, I wouldn't have lasted a minute. Thanks to you guys, we managed to save the world." He kissed his girlfriend on the top of her head as he finished speaking, causing Azura to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, three cheers for all parties involved," she muttered.

"Thank you, Genora," Gorun said sincerely. "You helped save our home, and the people that I love. I meant what I said- we all had a hand in this, so thank you."

"Whatever," she huffed, looking away. "I just helped because it seemed like a good fight."

"Whatever your reasons were, thank you anyway, Miss Azura," Kinana said with a seated bow in her direction. "We appreciate what you did."

"Yeah, thanks for saving our world," Romeo added.

"You may say that you acted for selfish reasons, but the outcome was a generous motion on your part," Yukino said as she too, bowed slightly to Azura. "Thank you for that."

Azura was silent for several moments before her shoulders sagged a bit and she muttered, "You're welcome."

"What're your plans now?" Gorun asked her as she turned around to look directly at him. "Going to take off into the sunset, never have to see me again?"

"I might, if not for the fact that the Supreme Kai of Time promised that she would be keeping an eye on me to ensure that I stay close to you," the blue-haired girl shrugged. "My options are rather limited by that."

"I'll let you go," Gorun offered her, causing her to sit up sharply.

"You what?"

"I'll let you go, live your life," he replied. "If the Supreme Kai of Time is watching like she says she is, then she'll know that I released you, and she shouldn't have any reason to send a destroyer or whoever after you. The main reason I wanted you to stick around was because I wanted your help in rescuing Éclair, seeing as that whole mess was technically your fault. Far as I'm concerned, you don't have to be here anymore if you don't want to."

"You would have interfered with the original flow of time, which stated that Éclair was supposed to be kidnapped by Carbuncle," Azura scowled. "I was just doing my job."

"Not according to my grandmother," Gorun shrugged. "Spin it however you like, the phoenix's revival could have been avoided if you hadn't stopped me from defeating those assassins in the first place. Besides, I get the feeling that our interference with the battle caused more changes than not, didn't they?"

Azura's mouth compressed into a thin line, her cheeks flushing red with anger. "They did," she muttered.

"How far into the future did you read?" Gorun asked.

"No further than the end of this battle," she shrugged. "I saw that the scroll was becoming more distorted the further along you remained in this timeline. I have no idea what will happen to it now that we are both stuck here."

"How was this battle supposed to end?" Romeo asked. "You saw our future without Gorun in it, right? What changed?"

"I don't know the answer to that, not entirely," Azura answered. "I could tell that there were changes being made, but I don't know too much about the original timeline itself."

"But you do know some things," Yukino insisted. "What's the harm in telling us?"

"People outside of the Time Patrol aren't supposed to know about alternate timelines, much less what can happen in them," Azura snapped. "Technically, you all shouldn't even be aware of these changes."

"We're not in the Time Patrol anymore, Azura," Gorun said sharply. "Better get used to that fact. Besides, if the damage is already done, there really is no point in keeping that information secret- that timeline doesn't matter to us anymore."

Azura glowered at her cousin for a few moments before asking, "You're going to pester me about this until I give in, aren't you?"

"I am a pest," Gorun smirked.

"Fine, some of you helped me achieve the Super Saiyan God form, so in return, I will tell you what you want to know," Azura said resignedly. "Leave no debt unpaid… The bird creature that travels with the girl Éclair would have been killed by her funeral pyre in a vain attempt to set her free. The phoenix would have been slain in battle, having been revived in much the same way it was tonight. In short, Natsu and Erza used the arrow to kill it. However, this would have ended Éclair's life in the process. Duke Cream survived but would not remain in power for long after his citizens dethrone him, so I suppose it makes little difference, his life being ended by your fusion." She addressed the last part to Gorun, who winced slightly at that.

"Maybe on the surface it seems that way, but Veronica might not be too happy about a Fiore wizard killing their monarch," he mumbled.

"Reasons not to mess with the timeline," Azura said smugly.

"I doubt anyone is going to know that Narun killed the duke," Kinana countered. "If anything, with all the chaos and confusion- not to mention almost everybody had evacuated the city at that point- the locals will likely pin the blame on Carbuncle trying to get in ahead of the game to win immortality."

"They might," Azura conceded with a shrug. "But Gorun's actions have created a new risk to you all, and that is something he will now have to live with."

"If it means that everybody lived through that battle, it's a price that I will gladly pay," Gorun replied, grimacing as he started to rise with Kinana's help. "But there's one question you still didn't answer me- what will you do now?"

Azura shrugged as she stood up and grunted with the effort. "I think I'll stick around for the time being," she shrugged. "Since I'm no longer in the Time Patrol, as you keep reminding me, I need a job if I'm going to eat. Besides, a true Saiyan seeks to become as strong as possible, and then some. Best way for me to do that is if I have a sparring partner who's on my level."

Gorun's eyebrows shot up, but all he said was, "I'll talk to Master about getting you an emblem, then."

"Do I have to join your guild, family, whatever you guys are?" Azura scowled. "I just need a job."

"The steadiest line of work for people like us is with a wizard's guild," Gorun shrugged. "You can try and go independent, but it's very difficult to make a decent living that way. Join Fairy Tail- or another guild I can recommend if you don't want to be around me constantly- and you are all but guaranteed lucrative jobs that can earn you a comfortable living."

"I don't need comfort, just food in my stomach and a roof over my head," Azura muttered.

"Join my team at Fairy Tail, and you get access to the most challenging jobs in Fiore," Gorun said, playing his ace card. "We're the nation's number one guild, and I'm its strongest available wizard, so I can get any job that we want." He tried not to make it sound like he was bragging, but even he had to admit that it sounded a little vain when he laid down all the facts so bluntly.

Still, nothing he had said was untrue. If he could figure out how to tap into his god form on his own now, Gildarts wouldn't hold a candle to him. Even without the divine power, he was reasonably confident that he could use his Super Saiyan 3 long enough to beat down the older man due to all the zenkai boosts he'd been getting in the last few weeks. Power and skill like his were rare and in high demand these days, so if he took Azura on his team, they would be able to handle just about any job with relative ease.

"Will we get another battle like this one?" the girl asked curiously, though her brow remained bent downward.

"If anything, our next major entanglement will be even more epic than this one was," Gorun replied.

"What makes you say that?" Yukino inquired. "It's entirely possible that we could enjoy some years of peace now."

"I doubt it," the Saiyan boy said with a negative shake of his head. "That's just the way things seem to be with this guild- we attract a lot of pissed-off powerhouses. Besides, we know that Acnologia and Zeref are out there somewhere, and no one's going to really be safe unless they're dealt with."

"Enough, Kaidon," Azura said sharply. "I said I'll stay for now, you don't need to sell the idea anymore."

"Alright," the boy nodded. "I'll talk to Makarov about you joining, and you can stay at my house until you figure out a living space for yourself."

"Thanks," she said reluctantly.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail," he replied with a huge grin that she returned with a scowl.

* * *

The guild found themselves on a train bound for home early the next day. Makarov would be getting off the train early to make his report to the Magic Council about what had occurred in Veronica, but the rest of them would be heading straight for Magnolia.

There were some quiet conversations going on in the compartments taken up by the guild, but for the most part everyone was just thankful for the opportunity to rest after such an intense battle. Natsu and Gajeel were doing their usual song and dance by the windows, struggling not to puke their guts out. Gorun noticed that Laxus was sitting in a section where only the Thunder Legion was accompanying him, and that he was also sitting by a window, completely stone-faced and pale.

The boy himself was sitting with Yukino, Kinana, and Romeo. Azura had been offered a seat with them, but she elected to ride up on the roof to be alone with her thoughts. "So what's the plan when we get back to Magnolia?" he asked his friends.

"I think I'll take that vacation day you were telling us about now," Romeo chuckled, stretching his arms above his head tiredly. "I'm so beat- I can hardly believe that Natsu and his team do stuff like this on a regular basis."

"You acquitted yourself well out there," Gorun said encouragingly. "You've earned a good rest, kid. I think we all have."

"I'm with you guys," Kinana agreed. "A stay-cation sounds like heaven right now."

"Date night tomorrow?" Gorun suggested.

"Please," the purple-haired girl grinned as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"What about you, Yukino?" Romeo asked his teammate.

"Oh, well I actually have plans for tomorrow evening myself," she answered with a hint of a blush. "Gray asked me to dinner at the King's party, and I said yes. We're finally making good on that."

"That's great," Gorun said with a bright smile. "I'm real happy for you guys. I mean, that you're both getting to have some normal fun, at least."

"Should we make it a double date?" Kinana suggested.

"Mmm, it's a nice thought, but maybe next time," Gorun said as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "I'm kind of feeling some 'us' time right now."

"Yes, please don't feel the need to include us in any plans you make," Yukino assured them. "Gorun is right, we can always go out as a group another time."

"Dang it, everyone but me gets a date," Romeo pretended to sulk, but the grin on his face gave his game away.

"Well, you have an opportunity over there," Gorun smirked as he gestured with his finger to indicate Wendy, who was sitting in the compartment next to theirs'.

"Uh, no, I'm good," Romeo stammered, clamming up and turning beet red.

"Wait, what's this?" Kinana asked as she leaned forward to look more closely at their younger comrade. "Romeo, are you wanting to-"

"Nope!" he said tightly.

"Aw, that's so cute," the girl laughed softly, though not in a mean-spirited manner. "You two would be great."

"I don't wanna talk about it," Romeo said, looking out the window in a poor attempt to hide his glowing red features.

"Let him off, dear," Gorun said gently to his girlfriend. "He'll figure out all of that in his own time."

"Oh, sorry," Kinana apologized, finally realizing just how embarrassed the kid must have been. "I won't talk about it anymore, Romeo."

"Thank you," he said while heaving a sigh of relief.

"I'll say one more thing, though," Gorun added, causing his younger friend to tense up. He held out his hands in a placating manner and said, "I just want you to remember that while this will likely be one of the most frightening things you ever do, you did just fight to take down the immortal phoenix. That's not something to ignore about yourself, Romeo- it took strength and fortitude of mind."

"This seems more terrifying," the boy replied in a small voice.

"Oh, it is," Gorun chuckled as he intertwined his fingers with Kinana's. "But it's even more rewarding in the end."

Romeo looked between the two of them for several long seconds before he asked, "You're all just gonna keep encouraging me until I go talk to her, aren't you?"

"Probably," Gorun admitted.

"Yes," Kinana added almost simultaneously.

"So much for figuring it out in my own time," he said as he stood up and shot Gorun a look, but the other wizard simply laughed in response.

"I did say that," he admitted. "I just think that your time is now." The young fire wizard sighed, shook his head, then walked across the aisle to Team Natsu's compartment.

A few seconds later, he sat down with them, next to Lucy and Natsu, while Éclair excused herself and came over to Team Golden Tail's box, Momon in her arms. "May I come in?" she asked at the doorway.

"Of course," Kinana nodded, indicating the seat next to Yukino.

"Hi everybody!" the little yellow bird said as his friend took the seat. "Thanks so much for helping me and Éclair out!"

"Yes, thank you," the girl added solemnly as she bowed to Gorun from her seated position. "You did save my life, and I am grateful to you because of that."

"It's what we do," Gorun replied with a smile. "No need to thank us, got it? You're a friend of ours, and friends don't keep score."

"You are a strange man, Son Gorun," Éclair replied with the barest hint of a smile. "But I am beginning to see why Lucy and her friends so admire you."

"Will we be seeing you around the guild hall after the celebration party tomorrow?" Yukino asked the girl. It had been established by Makarov that the guild would be hosting a party to celebrate their victory- and the addition of Azura to their guild, much to the female Saiyan's chagrin- at the end of the week. Éclair had made mention that she would join them for the feast, but beyond that she had not said anything definite.

"I think so," Éclair nodded slowly. "Lucy has been kind enough to open up her home to me as a roommate, and I believe I will accept her offer."

"You believe you will?" Gorun asked curiously. "What would stop you from taking that offer? You two seem to get along now, and you know Fairy Tail will help you land on your feet."

"I do know these things, but there is a matter that has been disturbing me for a little while now," Éclair said as she looked directly at her rescuer. "You, Son Gorun, trouble me."

"Me?" he replied, frowning now. "What did I do?"

"You placed the good of one person above the well-being of the entire world," Éclair said with her own frown. "Do not mistake my words- I am glad that you saved my life, but that is because it is in human nature to be selfish. From a logical standpoint, you should have let them burn me at the stake and stop the phoenix's resurrection. I was even immortal at the time, so my pain would have only been temporary."

"My actions don't always reflect what's the most logical, nor does anyone else's for that matter," Gorun replied neutrally, his gray eyes meeting her dark brown ones. "Why bring that up now?"

"When the stakes are that high, you should not have made the decision with your heart," Éclair told him gravely. "You could have doomed the entire planet because you only wanted to save me. That was foolish."

"I know it was, but I would do it again if I had the chance," Gorun replied sharply. "How was I supposed to know that you were an immortal?" _That does explain why her energy felt so strange and familiar, though,_ he thought to himself silently. _It was like Zamasu's._ "As far as I was concerned, I was saving the life that I knew I could. After the stones were united, I managed to deal with it. Why bring up what can't be changed now?"

Éclair met his gaze steadily before saying, "I simply want you to be aware of how your decisions will affect others in the future. With power like yours, I predict that you will be at the epicenter of changing times for this world. Be wary in how you act, for it could change the lives of others across the planet for good or ill."

"Okay…" Gorun said, looking to Momon for an explanation.

"Éclair used to be an oracle, so people would come to her to have their fortunes told," the little bird explained. "It's not magic, but she's really good at predicting things that will happen, so I'd pay attention if I were you!"

"I would say I'm surprised that you don't use magic, but you already explained that part," Gorun muttered as he looked back up at Éclair. "Planning on learning if you join the guild?"

"I think so," she nodded. "But first I need to know- will you heed my warning about your actions? If my words have fallen on deaf ears, then I cannot be around, knowing that you act with such great power so carelessly."

The Saiyan boy compressed his mouth into a thin line and replied, "I will remain aware of my actions, Éclair. You're not the first to lecture me on this subject, and I seriously doubt that you will be the last. But you're right- with power like this, I will have to be more vigilant about my actions."

The young woman nodded and relaxed a little bit before saying, "Then I suppose that I shall have to inform the guild master that he will be receiving two new recruits as opposed to one."

"Do you know what kind of magic you'll want to be practicing?" Kinana asked her.

"Not yet, but I'll see if Lucy has any ideas," Éclair answered. "I hope to find a path that pays homage to my late father, but it's early days yet. I'm still wrestling with the idea of using magic at all, given everything that has happened…"

"That's fair," Gorun nodded.

"We'll be happy to help you if you need it," Yukino added.

"I'm very excited about joining a guild!" Momon said happily. "It's been a long time since Éclair and I have stayed anywhere for more than a few days! It'll be nice to have an actual home to come to!"

"There's no feeling quite like it," Gorun said with a broad smile as he reached out and patted the little bird on the head, causing him to warble happily.

* * *

A few minutes later, a pale Romeo came back into the compartment, mumbling something that even Gorun couldn't decipher. "Everything okay, pal?" he asked the younger wizard.

Éclair excused herself at that moment to go and sit with Lucy again.

"Carla is scary," Romeo said with a blank look as he sat down. "She… urk…"

"So no date, then?" Kinana asked with a sympathetic look.

"Oh no, Wendy and I going out next week," Romeo replied, though his face remained studiously blank.

"Well don't look so excited about it!" Gorun laughed heartily. "Congratulations, Romeo!"

The boy turned his vacant look onto his leader and said, "Carla says that if I don't make a great first date for Wendy, she'll claw out my eyes and feed them to a Vulcan…"

"Oh my," Yukino blanched. Looking at the others, she asked, "Surely she's exaggerating?"

"She's not," Kinana and Gorun replied in unison.

"Oh…"

"What do I do?!" Romeo shouted, suddenly in a panic. "I don't know anything about dates! Why did I think this was a good idea?!"

"Calm down, man!" Gorun said as he clamped his hand over Romeo's mouth to keep him from attracting any unwanted attention. When he managed to hold the boy's gaze again, he gave him a conspirator's grin and said, "Meet me at my house next week the day before your date. Kinana and I will help you figure this out so that even Carla will be impressed."

"Well, Wendy will be, at least," Kinana interjected. After all, she had to temper the poor boy's expectations just a little bit.

"Just… no Vulcans…" Romeo begged once Gorun removed his hand.

* * *

"What're you planning on doing with that?"

The question had come from Gray, who was standing next to Gorun's table, where two plates burdened with huge sandwiches were sitting in front of them. It was one of the only types of food that Gorun claimed even he couldn't screw up, so when he had invited his friend over for lunch at his house, he'd made sure to have them ready.

However, Gray had been running a little late, so the Saiyan boy had found himself examining the vial that had once held his metamo-rings, now containing a few red drops of an unidentifiable liquid. Gray had apparently come in quietly enough that Gorun didn't notice, preoccupied as he was.

"Not entirely sure yet," he answered honestly. "I'm thinking it may help me with a little problem I've been trying to solve, but I'm not certain. I'm meeting with Jellal tomorrow to see if his guild can help me."

"That sounds a lot bigger than a little problem," Gray said, his eyes wide at the mention of Jellal's name as he sat down. "If you're callin' in a favor with one of the country's most wanted guys, you must really be needing help with something major."

"Okay, so it's more than a little problem, but it's nothing that's going to cause an apocalypse," Gorun sighed as he stuffed the vial in his pocket. Taking a seat across from his friend, he added, "It's something to hopefully help out an issue that Kinana and I realized about our relationship."

"Are you guys okay?" Gray asked, concerned.

"Yeah, we're fine," Gorun said with a reassuring grin that helped lighten the mood. "No, we just realized that there's an issue with our… different life expectancies."

"What does that mean?" Gray asked before he bit into his food hungrily.

"The kai of the multiverse, they live for billions and billions of years," Gorun answered with a sigh. "Being a part of that race, I likely will live on for a very long time, even if it's not as long as a full-blooded god. But Kinana is full human, which means…" He left the sentence unfinished as Gray swallowed his food with a slight grimace.

"Ouch," he muttered. "So what, are you trying to figure out how to help her live longer? I mean, a lot of strong wizards can live to be well past a hundred years old, but even then, there's no way she could live as long as you."

"She might be able to," Gorun replied as he patted his pocket. "Before we killed it, the phoenix gave Narun some of its tears, which he put in my container here. I don't know if they still work since its dead now, which is why I want Jellal's help in examining it before I give them to Kinana. At the very least, I hope they'll give us some more time together."

"That'd be better than nothing," Gray reasoned with a nod. "I really hope that it works out the way you want it to."

"Normally I'd try and gather up the Dragon Balls and wish for us to have matching lifespans, but I can't go back to Conton, even if I wanted to," Gorun shrugged. "Oh well. I'll figure it out, one way or another."

"So, other than trying to figure out how to make your girlfriend immortal, you got anything else going on?" Gray asked, trying to break away from the strange and slightly depressing subject.

"Nah, been enjoying the quiet time while we've got it," Gorun shrugged. "Except for when Azura wakes me up at the crack of dawn to spar… I'm very glad that she's moving into Fairy Hills tomorrow. In any case, Kinana and I are going on a job the day after the party tomorrow, so there's that."

"Same here," Gray said with a grin. "Some wyverns are driving some workers out of a mine, and the company owners are hiring us to drive them out."

"You do know they probably won't pay you if you collapse the mine, right?" Gorun asked with a wry grin before biting into his own meal.

"Erza has a plan to bait them out so we don't actually end up doing much fighting in the mountain itself," Gray replied with a shrug as he tossed off his shirt. "It's just an A-class job, something we can do in a day, so I doubt we'll be able to get into that much trouble."

"With you and Natsu around, I never doubt your team's ability to get into trouble," Gorun snickered. "Also, keep your clothes on if you want to keep coming here."

"Dammit!" Gray swore as he hastily moved to replace his shirt.

"Please tell me you managed to stay fully clothed during your date," his friend said, snorting with laughter as he watched the ice wizard fighting with his attire.

"I lost my jacket at one point, but other than that, it went well," Gray muttered as he tugged his shirt back in place. "Yukino's really nice, actually. Hard to get a conversation going with her at first, but once she was more comfortable, she was great to talk to."

"Glad to hear it," Gorun said with a grin. "Will there be a second date?"

"I think so," Gray nodded as he sat back down. "Especially since Juvia didn't show up and wash us both to hell, which was surprising."

"I heard that she went straight to the job board as soon as we got back," Gorun said absently. "Probably trying to drown her sorrows in her work or something."

"Yeah, that's what Lucy was saying," Gray said, shifting a little uncomfortably in his seat. "I just wish things could've ended up better between us."

"I do too, though more because I feel like she's planning to kill me in my sleep," Gorun muttered. "Almost wish Lamia Scale would've won the games so Lyon could've taken her off our hands."

"You're being too harsh again," Gray warned him.

"Sorry."

* * *

"Those tears certainly hold power in them," Jellal said as he handed the vial back to his friend. He and Urtear had just finished examining the contents of the container very thoroughly at Gorun's request.

"So it still can make someone immortal?" the boy asked eagerly. The two of them had met him in the forest behind Magnolia, but they could not stay for much longer for fear of discovery. Meredy was awaiting them in a town not far from where they were, tracking down a potential lead on the Baram Alliance.

"I think that the only way to tell for certain is if you were to ingest it," the temporal wizard warned him. "However, I would advise against that. I doubt that anyone really wants to live forever, seeing everyone you know and love claimed by the years while you remain immune to the touch of time."

"Actually, I'm already kind of supposed to live for a really long time, so…" Gorun said hesitantly. "Yeah, I wasn't planning on drinking this. I wasn't planning on having anyone else take it, either. I was actually wondering…" He paused, causing the others to frown.

"What is it?" Jellal asked him sternly.

"Do you think it'd be possible to turn this stuff into a lachryma?" he asked them.

Urtear and Jellal exchanged a quick glance before the blue-haired man said, "It shouldn't be difficult to do that, but why would you want to? What would be the point?"

"I'll tell you that if it works, the next time we meet," Gorun said with a mischievous smirk. "Now, for my part in this little exchange…" He handed them a piece of folded paper, where a few words were scrawled.

Jellal opened it and scanned the text quickly, his eyes widening in surprise at the end.

Are you sure?" he asked as he handed the parchment over to Urtear.

"Positive," Gorun nodded. "That Cobra guy said something about the gates of Tartaros, and the phoenix told me about a demon called E.N.D. I really doubt it was coincidence."

"Nothing in our line of work ever is," Urtear muttered as she read the parchment. "Thank you, Gorun. This validates some of our suspicions about the Baram Alliance."

"Careful if you do run into them," Gorun warned them. "Remember, you can call on me if you need backup. I also have a… relative of mine that I should be able to convince to help me if I need to."

"Another Saiyan?" Jellal guessed.

"Yeah, only meaner and less likely to show mercy to our enemies," Gorun nodded.

"Sounds like a valuable asset," Urtear said with a grin. "We'll be in touch."

She and Jellal turned to go, Gorun calling after them, "Just don't let her hear you say that!" Watching them go, he added in a softer voice, "Okay… Now I just need to find a jeweler… Maybe Erza knows somebody."

* * *

A Fairy Tail party was in full swing, complete with heaps of food, loud conversations, and of course, several bouts of fisticuffs among the male members of the guild. Éclair watched the proceedings with a slightly bemused expression while Azura stood next to her, a scowl fixed on her face.

"These people live like this all the time?" she muttered sourly.

"Oh, get over yourself," Gorun snorted as he strode up to the pair with a drink in his hand. "If it was a bunch of Saiyans- or even our old classmates- you'd be just as eager to fight."

"If I fought these morons, I'd break their spines before I'd even finished warming up," Azura replied snippily.

"Then think of it as a type of training," Gorun suggested.

"Training?" she said dubiously. "This? How?"

"Well, Super Saiyan Blue is all about extreme ki control," her cousin answered with a shrug. "I know you want to reach that level eventually, so start with something simple. Try controlling your energy enough to the point where you don't hurt them too bad, but don't lose any reaction time. Also, I count at least four guys in here that could take us on in our Super Saiyan forms, so don't go writing them all off just yet."

"You've thought of an answer for everything, haven't you?" Éclair smiled slightly.

"Well, not everything, but I prefer to have a plan of _some_ sort if I'm going to keep a person who can blow up the planet happy," he answered swiftly.

"I'm only happy when I'm fighting," Azura replied grumpily.

"Thought you might say that," Gorun snickered as he waved up at somebody on the second floor, Azura wasn't sure who.

"What are you-?"

 _Wham!_ Natsu's fire dragon talon connected solidly with her face, and she went down as he leapt away, cackling maniacally.

"Haha!" he laughed. "Now _that's_ how we start a party around here, grumpy!"

"It may be how you start it…" she growled, her face muffled by the floorboards. Then she was on her feet in a flash to face Natsu, a dangerous smile on her face. "But I'll finish it." In a blur of blue and white, she crashed into Natsu, slamming him through a table, and into a brawl where Gray had Elfman in a headlock and Gajeel was holding Freed upside-down with a smug look on his face.

They all looked at Azura, who now had Natsu in a chokehold, and grinned simultaneously in a way that left the girl feeling a little disconcerted. "What?" she asked.

"New kid thinks she can just walk in and put the hurt on Salamander before us?" Gajeel asked as he casually tossed Freed over his shoulder with little effort. "Not cool, kid."

"I can rip. You. In half," she stated flatly.

"Doubt it," Gajeel replied as his entire body became coated in iron scales.

"Yeah, it'll be pretty hard to rip anything when your hands are frozen to the floor," Gray added as he released Elfman, who collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Azura looked between the two of them, down at Natsu, who had a wolfish smile on his face, then back at Gorun. "I will get you for this," she deadpanned.

"That's what they all say," Gorun said dismissively before the brawl began anew.

* * *

"I see Azura is getting well-acquainted with how we make new friends in this guild," Makarov said as Gorun walked up to him, a mug of beer in the old man's grip. "Well done, my boy."

"Just trying to get her acquainted with the locals since she'll be here awhile," he shrugged. "She's stubborn, but I've seen this guild work its own magic. She'll be fine here, eventually."

"Hmm," Makarov mused before taking a deep drink. "So, something I've been meaning to ask you since she showed up."

"What's that?"

"She calls you 'Kaidon', and you sometimes call her 'Genora," Makarov stated. "Why?"

Gorun shrugged again and said, "I already explained this to some of my friends, but Saiyan hybrids are now given two names when we're born. One is our 'human' name, which is our common form of address. The other, given to us by the ruler of our race, is a private name that only members of our family usually know."

"So… what? She's your sister?" Makarov inquired. "Seems like you two don't have a great relationship for a pair of family members."

"We're not siblings," Gorun said with a dogged shake of his head. "Our relationship is… complicated. For lack of a better term, we can say she's my cousin."

"Still seems like a lot of tension," Makarov insisted. "More than what could be considered normal family interaction."

"I don't wanna talk about it," Gorun said stiffly.

Makarov finally seemed to click on the fact that his junior member was irritated with him, because he turned to the boy and asked, "Is something wrong, lad?"

"Oh no," the S-class wizard replied, making no effort to hide the sarcasm in his voice. "I'm just sitting here with my guild master, having a drink at a party to welcome two new guild members, one of which he tried to have killed last week! No, nothing wrong here!" He glared at his master toward the end of the rant to punctuate his words.

Makarov heaved a deep sigh and drained the last of his beer before looking back up at Gorun again. "It seemed that it was her, or the world," he finally said in a somber tone. "I had originally planned not to reveal to Erza that shooting the phoenix would end Éclair's life along with it, but circumstances forced me to reveal that fact to the others as well. And the way things turned out, I'm glad that they did- you did manage to save everyone, after all."

"Is that supposed to make what you were going to do okay?" Gorun snapped. "You were going to end the life of an innocent woman without any hesitation, without remorse. Is that an example you want to set for everyone out there?" He gestured with his own mug to indicate the laughing, dancing, happy guild members.

"No, my boy, it isn't," Makarov said with a deep sigh. "But if I have to choose between saving someone else and saving my guild, I will choose my guild every time."

"Éclair was already a part of our guild, even if she didn't bear our mark, just like Jellal is one of us," Gorun responded with some heat. "What you did was wrong."

"Because it went against what you thought?" Makarov asked Gorun with a dangerous, warning gleam in his eye that made even the Super Saiyan of Fairy Tail hesitate.

"No," he replied, forcing himself to calm down and relax his posture. "It was wrong because you didn't have faith in your family to find another way."

"Hmm…" Makarov scowled before hopping down from the bar where he had been sitting. "Anything else you feel the need to say before I leave for the night?"

"No, Master," Gorun sighed heavily. "I've said my piece."

"Then good night," the old man said as he walked away, head bowed, though whether in sorrow or sullenness, Gorun could not tell.

"He knows that he did wrong, Gorun." Mirajane's voice said from behind him, startling him enough that his mug went flying out of his hand.

"Shenron-dammit!" the boy cursed, heaving a deep breath and clutching at his chest. "You nearly killed me with a heart attack, Mira!"

The white-haired barmaid had an unusually severe expression on her face as she replied, "Master was just trying to do the best that he could under the circumstances, just like you did when you chose to save Éclair instead of stopping the phoenix's revival. Because you didn't have all the facts, you arguably made the wrong decision. But you stand by what you did, don't you?"

"Of course I do," he answered, frowning slightly.

"Then let him stand by his mistake, and let bygones be bygones," Mirajane scolded him firmly. "If anyone has a right to hold a grudge, it would be Éclair, and she's not angry at him for what he did. He even had her blessing to use the arrow."

"I know all that!" the boy moaned. "It still… feels wrong, somehow, okay? I feel like somebody should be mad about it, but everyone in this guild is just so unbelievably forgiving!"

"And look at all the friends we have because of it," Mirajane replied without missing a beat. "Gajeel, Juvia, Jellal, Mister Hoteye, the exceeds, Sabertooth, and so on. You need to learn how to forgive, Gorun, or even with Kinana by your side, you will lead a very lonely life."

The monkey-tailed boy craned his neck to look over at her slowly, seeing the determined set to her shoulders and the locked jaw. "Curse you and your logical wisdom," he groaned. "Why can't you let me become vindictive and hardheaded like my Grandpa Vegeta?"

"Because apparently one thing we share in common is our inability to stay out of other people's business," she said pointedly with an overly bright, fake smile. "You have until the end of the week to apologize to Master, or I'm putting all of tonight's drinks on your tab."

"Yeah, right," he snorted. "Even if you did do that, I've got plenty of jewel. I can handle whatever number you throw at me, especially since Cana doesn't drink anymore." In response, she handed him a slip of paper with a number written on it.

He immediately apologized to Makarov when he found him, ten minutes later.

* * *

 **Gorun: So, when's the next time we're gonna bust out that power?**

 **Mataras: Not for some time. I'd rather not overplay it like the original series does, you know? It's a really cool form, and I'd hate to see it nerfed for the sake of convenience.**

 **Azura: Makes sense. Besides, red isn't really my color.**

 **Saiki: It's a real pain that Dragon Ball Super is rather inconsistent with the usage of Super Saiyan God and Blue. Strictly speaking, Krillin should have been annihilated the second that Goku powered up to Blue when they sparred.**

 **Mataras: Don't even talk to me about that. My point is that instead of treating the god forms like hair dye, I will be doing my best to use them only when _absolutely_ necessary. ...Alright, maybe once or twice for comedic purposes.**

 **Gorun: How would that be something funny?**

 **Mataras: Wouldn't you like to know?**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail- What's Important**

 **Gorun: Coming July, 2019.**

 **Azura: I'd still like to know how we got dragged into this...**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

He found Natsu on all fours, with Asuka riding on his back, using his scarf like reins as she forced him to tromp through the guild hall as her 'horse'. Gorun looked down at his mug, then back up at the bizarre scene as Natsu began to make sounds that he guessed were supposed to be reminiscent of a horse. "I did get _root_ beer, right?" he muttered. "Or did Mira spike my drink?"

"Asuka challenged Natsu to a shoot-off," Lucy explained with a barely contained smile as she watched the unfolding scene. "If he lost, he had to do whatever she wanted."

"Despite all his power, your friend Salamander makes for a poor shot," Éclair commented as she watched the boy enduring his humiliation at the hands of the five-year-old. "Asuka, on the other hand, shows much talent with her weapon of choice. Her toy bullets all hit the bulls-eye on the target."

"Not surprising, given who her parents are," Gorun shrugged, now understanding the bizarre sight. Raising his voice, he said, "Hey, Asuka! Happy and Mira are looking for some jobs that we can do together, so you can earn the money you want."

"Yay!" the little girl chirped as she directed Natsu to stop in front of the saiyan boy. "Thank you, Mister Gorun!"

"Sure thing, kiddo," he smiled down at the little girl. "The only thing I need to know is how much money you needed to earn today?"

"Uh…" Asuka hesitated, then held up five fingers, saying, "This much!"

"Only five jewel?" Gorun laughed. "You don't need to do a job for that! I'll give you five jewel, Asuka."

"No!" she said as she shook her head vehemently. "More!"

"Uh…" Gorun looked over at Lucy, who seemed just as confused as he did. "More, Asuka?" he asked. "Do you mean fifty? Five hundred?"

"Um…" The little girl looked down and started counting with her fingers, whispering to herself for a few seconds before she looked up and declared, "It had a five, and then four 'zeroes' in front of that!"

Gorun's eyes widened as he realized what she was saying. "Oh, you mean fifty thousand jewel…" he said, the girls both looking just as surprised as he felt. "Asuka, what do you need that much money for?"

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Azura

Saiyan Name: Genora

Current Age: 17 yrs

Conception/Author's Commentary:

Oh, where do I even start with Azura...? Well, she's supposed to be Gorun's polar opposite, which I think I've captured fairly well, given how much people disliked her upon her introduction. Basically, everything that Gorun hates about being a Saiyan, Azura takes pride in, which is why they have some many issues with each other, despite their similarities.  
For her looks, I was trying to come up with an image that I disliked instinctively, so I went ahead and made her look like a meaner Juvia. I actually designed this character's look before I gave her a name, which is very in reverse for me. Normally, I think, 'This character's name is (let's say Gorun here, for the sake of convenience),' and then I make them look like who I believe that name should be attached to. Make sense? No? Well, it's the method to my madness.  
As for why I made her at all, I mean, come on... What good is a Saiyan without a rival to push them past their limits, right? I had originally planned on introducing Azura much sooner, as a team member for Sabertooth during the Dragon King Festival, in fact. I decided to push back her debut for three reasons, though. The first is that the stadium probably wouldn't have survived their fight, not to mention that they likely would have gotten so worked up that they would have ignored the thirty-minute rule and kept fighting until one of them got killed. The second reason is that I felt the dragons gave Gorun enough of a challenge as it was, and he didn't need Azura there trying to drag him home until later in the story. The final reason is that I felt Azura would make the biggest impact at the beginning of the Phoenix Priestess Arc- think about it. The games were done, Fairy Tail is number one, and the dragons are all gone (I make rhymes, I'm very clever :P). Everything should have been great for Gorun- he was even planning on popping the question to Kinana. Sure, if Carbunkle had shown up, that would've been rough, but I really wanted something to rip the rug our from under him- thus, Azura makes her debut.  
One might say that Azura is the Mataras of this story, in any case. She's a massive herk, no one likes her, but for some reason or other, she is given a chance to improve herself. The only thing that remains to be seen is if she will take that chance...

Known Techniques:

-Kamehameha  
-Spirit Bomb  
-Tyrant Lance  
-Spirit Sword  
-Kikoho  
-Deadly Dance

-Chaos Control: a unison raid she and Gorun came up with together before their relationship soured. Originally intended to simply augment each others' attack (Final Shine Attack and the Mk. II Kamehameha, respectively), when used in their god forms, the combined powers become so great that the technique gains properties similar to the 'Hakai' technique, though it takes a great deal more energy and time to use that a Hakaioshin's power (and is far less effective), making it a last resort attack.

Known Transformations/Enhancements:

-Super Saiyan  
-Super Saiyan 2  
-Mystic/Potential Unleashed  
-Super Saiyan God (with assistance from others)

Equipment/Items used:

-N/A

Accomplishments:

-Rose to become the number six ranking Time Patroller before her exile  
-Defeated Erza Scarlet with a single blow, nearly killing her  
-Became the youngest SSJ God in history  
-Participated in the slaying of the Immortal Phoenix

Stats:

-Power: 6/7  
-Speed: 6/7  
-Technique: 7/7  
-Intelligence: 6/7  
-Cooperativeness: 1/7

Fun Facts:

-Her Saiyan name is based on the English word, 'Orange', which is the complimentary color to her usual color scheme

-She wears a necklace with the shard of a dragon ball attached to it in remembrance of her mother, who died on a mission set in a future where Cooler pursued the wish orbs instead of Frieza

-Her favorite food is Shepherd's Pie

-She is five feet, four inches tall

-Her guild mark is orange and is stamped on her right palm

-Her Meyers Briggs' personality is 'the Architect', INTJ


	23. What's Important

**A/N: Okay- you guys would not _believe_ the month I've had. I am sorry that this chapter has come so late, but here it is, please enjoy it, and be sure to check out the response video for your reviews (and private messages) on my YouTube channel.**

 **Forecast shows for a filler chapter, chances of fluff, maybe a surprise, and a guaranteed mystery. Readers are advised to take it easy and enjoy themselves.**

* * *

 _Rival Arc: Epilogue_

What's Important

"You sure you don't mind?" Alzack asked as he watched his daughter, Asuka laughing and playing with Natsu, the pink-haired boy laughing along in a good-natured spirit. "I know that this is sort of last-minute."

"Nah, it's fine," Gorun said easily as he clapped his guild mate on the shoulder. "I wasn't planning on taking any jobs today, since Azura is moving into Fairy Hills." He had been approached by the gunslinger mage the previous evening about watching his daughter for a day while Alzack and Bisca went on a job a few miles outside of town.

"That's sweet of you to stay and help your cousin move," Bisca said as she came up to stand by her husband, a small bag on her back.

"Hah, are you kidding?" Gorun snickered. "I'm just staying in town to make sure that she doesn't blow the place up as soon as one of her new dorm mates' quirks makes her angry."

Bisca and Alzack's faces fell a little bit at that. "Yeah, I remember living in the girl's dorm back in the day," the green-haired gun mage muttered. "You wouldn't believe how loud Erza sn-"

"Hello, Bisca, Alzack," said a familiar red-haired requip wizard, causing the two parents to stiffen in alarm. They both turned around to see Erza smiling at them with a dangerous light in her eyes. "I was just passing by and couldn't help but overhear my name. Is there something that you need help with?"

"Actually, we were just going!" Alzack said nervously as he grabbed his wife by the hand and led her away. "Bye, Gorun! Thanks for watching Asuka!"

As he watched them go, Gorun said in an aside to Erza, "To be fair, she might have been about to say 'sneaks around'."

"You can't be too careful, especially when you have a reputation as an S-class wizard to uphold," Erza replied as she started walking toward a table where Lucy and Éclair were eating lunch together, Momon pecking at his partner's plate every now and again.

Shrugging to himself, the saiyan boy moved to go meet Natsu, who was sitting at the bar with Asuka. As he took a seat on the other side of the little girl, Mirajane came up with a smile and handed Asuka a drink with a heart-shaped straw sticking out of it. "There you go," she said with obvious delight as the child began gulping the juice down with gusto. Turning to Gorun, she said without any preamble, "Kinana's in the back, getting some supplies ready for the lunch rush. Can I get you anything in the meantime?"

"I'll take a root beer, yeah," Gorun nodded with a friendly smile of his own. "Thanks, Mira."

"Sure!" the eldest Strauss sibling replied as she moved to grab what he had asked for.

"Hey, Mister Gorun!" Asuka said as she put down her drink. "Where's the mean lady?"

"Mean la- oh, Azura?" Gorun asked with a chuckle. "She's moving into her new home today. Yukino is helping her out, and Kinana has to work the bar, so I'm watching you with Natsu so your parents can go to work."

"I thought you mighta been sticking around cos of that gang that's been robbing people lately," Macao said as he and Romeo passed them by. "Drop some of that Super Saiya-Man stuff you do on them."

Gorun blanched at the name that Macao had unintentionally used, but he managed to reply, "Super Saiyan, and no, I hadn't heard about that. I'm taking it easy after the whole phoenix fiasco."

"Don't you need to earn any money for stuff?" Natsu asked him while the father-son duo left to attend to their own affairs. "I've always gotta be paying for food since Happy eats so much!"

"Yeah right!" the blue cat objected as he popped up onto the bar. "I only ever eat fishies, and they're not that expensive! You're the one that eats everything like a buncha locusts, Natsu!"

"I wanna have some money!" Asuka exclaimed as she finished off her juice.

Her interjection caught everyone off-guard, so that Natsu and Happy forgot their argument, while Gorun looked down at the little girl with some surprise before asking, "Why's that, Asuka? Did you want to buy something?"

"Uh-huh!" she answered with a peppy nod. "Mommy and Daddy are always sayin' it's good to earn money for stuff you wanna buy, so I wanna go on a job and earn my own money!"

"But to do that, you'd need to be a-"

"Hey, Natsu, why don't you go play with Asuka for a few minutes?" Gorun said to interrupt Happy as he aimed a pointed glare at the exceed. "I'll find a job that Asuka can help us out with."

"Okay, sure!" Natsu said as he got up from the bar stool where he was seated, Asuka hopping down to follow him as he added, "C'mon, kiddo! What kinda game do you wanna play?"

Gorun lost her reply as he muttered to a frightened-looking Happy, "Jeez, do you _want_ to kill her self-confidence? Little kids have fragile egos as it is."

"Right, sorry," Happy apologized as Mirajane came back with Gorun's drink.

"Thank, Mira," the saiyan-kai hybrid said as he grabbed the mug up and left a few small bills on the counter as a tip, which she gratefully accepted. Struck by a thought, Gorun clicked his tongue before asking the girl, "Say, you handle a lot of the job requests, right? You wouldn't happen to know of any jobs that'd be safe to bring a kid on, do you?"

"Yeah, we got a few repair job requests that came in today," the barmaid answered as Gorun took a drink of his beverage. "I heard Asuka saying that she wanted to earn some money- is that what you had in mind?"

"Yes," the young man nodded. "Though to be honest, I'm not entirely sure how much she wanted… Huh." Grabbing his mug off the counter again, he got up and said over his shoulder, "Hold that thought- I'm gonna go ask her how much she needs."

"Okay!" Mirajane nodded.

"In the meantime, I'll look at some jobs that we might be able to take her on," Happy volunteered as he took flight.

"Thanks, Happy," Gorun said appreciatively.

* * *

He found Natsu on all fours, with Asuka riding on his back, using his scarf like reins as she forced him to tromp through the guild hall as her 'horse'. Gorun looked down at his mug, then back up at the bizarre scene as Natsu began to make sounds that he guessed were meant to be reminiscent of a horse. "I did get _root_ beer, right?" he muttered. "Or did Mira spike my drink?"

"Asuka challenged Natsu to a shoot-off," Lucy explained with a barely contained smile as she watched the unfolding scene. "If he lost, he had to do whatever she wanted."

"Despite all his power, your friend Salamander makes for a poor shot," Éclair commented as she watched the boy enduring his humiliation at the hands of the five-year-old. "Asuka, on the other hand, shows much talent with her weapon of choice. Her toy bullets all hit the bulls-eye on the target."

"Not surprising, given who her parents are," Gorun shrugged, now understanding the bizarre sight. Raising his voice, he said, "Hey, Asuka! Happy and Mira are looking for some jobs that we can do together, so you can earn the money you want."

"Yay!" the little girl chirped as she directed Natsu to stop in front of the saiyan boy. "Thank you, Mister Gorun!"

"Sure thing, kiddo," he smiled down at the little girl. "The only thing I need to know is how much money you needed to earn today?"

"Uh…" Asuka hesitated, then held up five fingers, saying, "This much!"

"Only five jewel?" Gorun laughed. "You don't need to do a job for that! I'll give you five jewel, Asuka."

"No!" she said as she shook her head vehemently. "More!"

"Uh…" Gorun looked over at Lucy, who seemed just as confused as he did. "More, Asuka?" he asked. "Do you mean fifty? Five hundred?"

"Um…" The little girl looked down and started counting with her fingers, whispering to herself for a few seconds before she looked up and declared, "It had a five, and then four 'zeroes' in front of that!"

Gorun's eyes widened as he realized what she was saying. "Oh, you mean fifty thousand jewel…" he said, the girls both looking just as surprised as he felt. "Asuka, what do you need that much money for?"

"Mommy and Daddy are always buying me presents!" she said as she looked up at the tall youth with big, innocent eyes. "I wanna buy them something this time!"

 _Aw man, how can I say 'no' to something like that?_ He thought as he knelt down to be eye level with Asuka. "In that case, Natsu and I'll be happy to take you on some jobs," he told her, causing her little face to light up with joy.

"Uh, we are?" Natsu grunted as he looked up at Gorun balefully. "I dunno, man. This kid's a slave driver. Sure you wanna do this?"

"Come on, we'll be fine," the saiyan youth replied with a grin. "Just give Happy and me some time to put a few easy jobs together."

"Ooh, Mister Gorun?" Asuka asked shyly, another thought apparently coming to her attention. "Can I have some cake?"

"Sure, after you've put in a hard day's work," he said with another smile, making a mental note to pick up some cake during the day. "Cake tastes better after you've worked hard, you know?"

"Yay!" Asuka cheered. Then, pulling on Natsu's scarf again, she said, "Come on, Natsu! Run all the way to South Park!"

"Gah!" the pinkette squawked. "You're gonna make me do this in public?!"

"Yeah-huh!" the girl giggled. "Giddy-up, Natsu!"

"Aw, man…" he grumbled before putting on a brave face and galloping out of the guild hall.

"Lucy, go with him and make sure he doesn't end up running them both into a tree or something," Gorun said as soon as they were gone.

"Why me?!" the blond girl demanded.

"Do you really trust Natsu with the safety of a child?" her guildmate deadpanned.

"Dang it, Gorun!" Lucy shouted over her shoulder as she ran after the pair. "You owe me for this!"

"I thought you were supposed to be watching her with Natsu," Momon said from Eclair's arms. The girl raised an eyebrow as he held up one hand in surrender, the other still occupied by his drink.

"I'll catch up to them with my instant transmission as soon as Happy and I put together enough jobs for her to meet her goal," he said defensively.

"I didn't take you as one to like children, Son Gorun," Éclair murmured.

"Eh, what can I say?" he chuckled. "She's a cute kid, and her parents helped me get my bearings when I first came to live in Magnolia. Plus, I've always found kids fascinating- it's cool to see how two different people can create someone so much like them, or a completely different person entirely."

"There is truth in that," the ancient youth nodded.

"Now, I gotta go put in a request for cake, and see where Happy's at with those job requests," he said before finishing his drink and leaving it on the nearest table. "Hopefully, he-"

"I heard you discussing getting a cake for little Asuka." Gorun let out a yelp of surprise as he turned around to find Erza with a strangely intense expression on her face, standing less than a foot away. She added, "I have already put our best wizards to work on this quest, such as it is. Wendy is preparing the cake, while Carla is making some fresh cream. All that remains is for me to fetch the proper strawberries."

"Somehow, I've been dragged into this," said Pantherlily, who Gorun could now see was being carried under Erza's right shoulder by the woman herself, and looking none too happy about it.

"I'll need you for the task ahead," Erza declared, then grabbed Éclair with her free hand. "Come now, Éclair! It's time for you to learn what being a wizard is all about!" With that, she began to drag a protesting former priestess away, Momon in her arms.

"Wait!" she was shouting. "I've only just begun learning magic! Let me go!"

Gorun was about to intervene, when he remembered Lucy saying something about how irrational the S-class Requip Mage was when it came to cakes. _I think I'll stay away from that,_ he decided as he went over to find Happy.

* * *

They arrived in the park to find Asuka and Lucy talking while Natsu hid in some bushes, his clothes lying out on the branches around him, grumbling to himself the whole while. "What happened to him?" Gorun asked as he and Happy landed on the grass.

"Asuka thought it would be funny to make him jump in the fountain," Lucy answered with a shrug while Asuka laughed at the fire wizard. "He's drying off."

"Asuka," Gorun said with a disappointed expression as he knelt in front of the little girl, who stopped laughing. "That wasn't nice of you. Natsu has been playing with you for a while now, and you did something mean to him. You should say you're sorry."

"But…" the little girl sniffled. "He promised me… He'd do anything I wanted…"

"I know he did, but that's no excuse for being mean to him," the young man said with a note of mild reproach in his voice. "You need to say sorry when you've done something wrong, Asuka."

"Ah, it's fine," Natsu said as he stepped out of the bushes, his pants dried from the heat of his magic. As he set about drying his vest, he added, "She's just havin' a little fun, is all. It's no biggie."

Gorun rolled his eyes but said nothing as Asuka laughed happily and ran over to Natsu, hugging his leg tightly. _That kid has him wrapped around her little finger,_ he thought with a wry grin as he watched the boy struggling to keep his balance. _Ah, maybe I shouldn't have said anything. I'm not her dad._

Happy floated over to his partner now, saying, "Mirajane and I were able to find a buncha little jobs that we can do around town today! They should add up to what she needs."

"Cool!" Natsu grinned as he and Lucy began to look through the fliers. "If we split up, we can double-time it on these things!"

"No!" Asuka exclaimed, surprising all of them. "I wanna help on all of 'em, cos if I'm not helping, then it's not my money, and then it's not really my present to Mommy and Daddy!"

 _Huh,_ Gorun thought, now impressed by the child. _You don't usually meet little kids with such a strong work ethic._ Although he doubted that she would be able to provide much in the way of practical help, the thought was there.

"Okay, if we're gonna do all of these, we'd better get a move on," Lucy said as she held up the first flier. "Let's start with this one, yeah?"

"…I don't get it," Natsu said after reading the paper. "What do they want to happen?"

"They want a fountain repaired?" Gorun said after scanning it. "I know how to make repairs to time machines, but I don't know a thing about plumbing." When the others looked at him as though he'd grown another head, he asked, "What? Any standard Time Patrol member qualified for going out into the multiverse needs to know how to make repairs to their vehicle, should damage occur to it. To us, it's no different than knowing how to fix a magic-mobile."

"That is totally not the same thing!" Lucy told him.

"Guys, I picked this one because I know someone who can get the job done for an hour or so!" Happy interrupted, giving Lucy a pointed look.

The blond stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment before paling and saying, "Oh man, why…?"

* * *

"Why am I here…?" Éclair grumbled as she and Erza stood atop one of the mountains bordering Magnolia. "I was supposed to be studying with Levy today." Momon jumped out of her arms and started looking around at the landscape, delighted by the chance to view the mountains surrounding their new home.

"There's no teacher better than experience!" Erza declared as she set down a very disgruntled Panther Lily. "Now, stay focused on the task at hand. We're here to harvest the legendary Maximum Sweet Strawberries! Supposedly they only grow once every ten thousand years, so our search will not be easy!"

"Actually, we grew those all the time in my home village," Éclair informed them. "That was four hundred years ago."

"What?!" Erza shouted. "No, that can't be right! These are supposed to be the most legendary of all delicacies, chosen by fate to be picked only once every ten millennium!"

"Not so," Éclair shrugged. "They are delicious, but they're not that difficult to grow in the right conditions. Although, I suppose it would be hard to find those conditions in a climate as cold as Magnolia's mountain range."

"No…" Erza said in despair as she sank to her knees. "That can't be right…"

"Is she gonna be okay?" asked Momon.

"Would you know how to grow these strawberries, so we don't have to climb up here again in the future?" Lily asked dryly as Erza began sobbing in the fetal position.

"If I had the right climate and some seeds, it shouldn't be too difficult," Éclair answered. "As I understand it, one of Levy's friends is a plant mage, so I'm certain that he could assist the project. …I suppose it would be nice to have a reminder of home."

"Hold on…" Pantherlily said as he held up a paw, his keen ears twitching as he gazed back down the slope that they had come from. "We've got company."

"What kind?" Éclair asked cautiously.

"Not sure yet," the black exceed said as he assumed his muscular form, sword in hand. As he waited, tense with anticipation, the pair became aware of the sounds of stampede, growing louder by the second, and accompanied by a series of unintelligible grunts.

"Erza, get up," Éclair said in a tense voice. "We've got trouble approaching."

"My legendary strawberry…" the redhead groaned.

"I honestly think she's forgotten that we're supposed to be getting this for Asuka," Pantherlily grumbled. "Look alive. We've got Vulcans inbound." Sure enough, about a half-mile away from them, and closing in fast on their location, there was a horde of the green-furred beasts.

"Ew, those smelly ape monsters that possess people and steal women from their homes?" Momon asked as he flapped his way up to hover near Éclair.

"Wonderful," the brunette muttered. "One exceed with limited time on his battle form, and a girl who is just beginning to get a handle on using magic against a swarm of those things. Honestly, was this girl even thinking straight when she brought us along?"

"Strawberries…" Erza groaned amid the growing sound of the approaching monsters.

"You'd think she'd be happier, considering that Éclair said that she could make more," Momon commented.

"Worry about Titania later!" Éclair said tightly, her brow lining with sweat as she concentrated on conjuring one of the magic circles that she could remember. A purple-blue pattern flashed to life in front of her hand, as she muttered, "Rainbow Flame: _Purple Rain._ "

* * *

"Man, what is it with blue-haired girls and being mean?" Gorun muttered as they walked away from a job that had seen Aquarius posing as an angry water fountain long enough for a man to propose to his girlfriend.

"Not all of them!" Lucy snapped at him. "Levy is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet!"

"Yeah, and Wendy's super-nice!" Natsu added.

"Okay, fine, but three out of five are crazy," Gorun asserted. "That's more than half."

"Where do you even get that num-?"

"Juvia, Aquarius, and of course, Azura," he interrupted Lucy. "There, that's how I got that statistic."

"He makes a good point," Happy said with a snicker. "People with blue hair do have a tendency to be crazy."

"Says the blue hairball," Lucy shot back.

"I have blue fur, not hair!" Happy protested.

"Yeah, like that's any different!"

* * *

So the day wore on- Gorun, Natsu, and Lucy all pitching in to complete a dozen odd jobs over the course of a few hours. By the time they were done, Asuka had the fifty thousand jewel that she needed to buy the item that she wanted.

So it was that the group found themselves walking out of a downtown pawn shop, Asuka smiling happily at a lachryma that she had purchased. "That's really pretty," Lucy commented as they started walking down the street. "It almost looks like a snow globe." Indeed, the magical item was orb-shaped, with multiple figures inside of it, among them being a snowman and a reindeer.

"This has my Mommy and Daddy's memories in it," Asuka chirped as she held it against her chest. "We were walking by the store last week, and they were talkin' about it! So I decided that I wanted to get it for them, so they could have their memories back."

"So all of this was to get something that meant a lot to your parents?" Lucy asked as she knelt in front of Asuka. "Aw, that's so sweet! C'mere, you little sweetheart!" The little girl laughed as Lucy enveloped her in a warm hug.

"I'm getting kinda misty-eyed over here," Happy sniffled.

"Not me, bro," Natsu replied.

"C'mon, that's pretty cute," Gorun told him. "Bisca and Alzack have a good kid."

"Eh," the pinkette shrugged.

"Hey, Lucy!" Asuka said as she pulled back from the blond. "When are you and Natsu finally gonna kiss each other?"

The question was so random, so out of the blue, that it took a solid ten seconds for everyone to process what the little girl had just asked. As soon as they had, Gorun and Happy started laughing so hard, they fell down on their backs, causing an already-blushing Lucy to flush positively scarlet while Natsu shifted uncomfortably where he stood.

"Uh… what?" Lucy asked Asuka while holding her at arm's length.

"Mommy and Daddy are doing it all the time!" the little girl replied excitedly.

"Yeah, well, we're not your mom and dad, kid!" Lucy protested.

Undeterred, Asuka looked up at Natsu and said, "Give her a smooch, Natsu! Right on the lips!"

"No way!" the celestial mage snapped.

Asuka looked down at her snow globe and whined, "But he promised to do what I asked him to do…"

Happy and Gorun were now hanging on to each other, tears streaming from their eyes as they howled with laughter. "Shaddup!" Lucy shouted at them. "Gorun, isn't this about the part where you start getting in the middle of things?!"

"Normally yeah, but the last time I interfered when I shouldn't have, our resident rain lady threatened to drown me in my sleep," he snickered in response. "Plus, Kinana's been getting on me about keeping my foot out of my mouth, so you're on your own!"

"What's the big deal?" Natsu asked as he stepped toward the blond girl "It's not like it'll kill us."

"Hey, that's true," Lucy nodded as she stood up, then froze. "Wait a sec!" she protested. "It's not my health I'm worried about!" As she was speaking, Natsu moved a couple of paces closer to her, causing her to back against a wall. "Wait, are you serious?" she squeaked as she cast her eyes about for something, anything to prevent what was about to occur.

Meanwhile, Gorun and Happy were still laughing, though more quietly as their attention was all on the scene playing out in front of them. Asuka was looking on with bright eyes and a wide smile as she realized that her wish was about to come true. The fire wizard took one more step to close the distance between him and his teammate.

"Na- _mph!_ " Lucy was cut off as Natsu put his mouth on hers', effectively silencing her.

He quickly stepped back to break off the kiss in less than a second, his face neutral as he turned to Asuka and asked, "There, ya happy now?" Happy looked dumbstruck, as if he hadn't actually expected his best friend to kiss the girl, while Gorun was now quieter, though a strange smile remained on his face.

"Uh-huh!" the little girl giggled. "Good job, Natsu!"

" _What the hell, Natsu?!_ " Lucy shouted, her face redder than a tomato. "That was my first kiss, you jerk!"

"Hey, that was mine too, so we're even!" he protested.

"No we're not!"

"We totally are!"

"Gorun, build me a time machine so I can go back and undo that!" Lucy rounded on the saiyan boy, who held up his hands defensively.

"I said I can _repair_ them, not build one from scratch," he replied in a mild tone. "Besides, even if I could, I'm not gonna risk my grandmother coming here with a destroyer because we went back to change something so minor."

"Well, it's a _major_ deal to me!" Lucy thundered.

 _Fwoosh!_

"What the-?!" Gorun blinked in surprise as something swooped in between the five of them, taking Asuka's lachryma with it. The sound of harsh laughter soon followed, drawing the startled group's eyes upwards.

"Now this'll fetch for a pretty coin up in Hargeon!" a man guffawed as he flew away on some sort of gliding contraption, followed by three other men similarly equipped.

"Oh, bandits," Gorun said calmly. "Great."

"Didn't Macao say something about these guys?" Natsu growled as he glared up at the retreating men.

"Give that back!" Asuka wailed as she pulled out her toy gun and started shooting pellets at the thugs. Her bullets hit their targets every time, but since they would do nothing more than lightly sting them, there was no sign of the bandits stopping. "Stop! That has Mommy and Daddy's memories! They need them!" the little girl bawled, tears streaming down her eyes. "Come back…!"

Natsu moved swiftly and pushed Asuka's hat down over her eyes, ignoring her protests, his eyes moving swiftly as he looked up at the retreating bandits.

"Hey, what are-?"

"Shh!" he hissed at Lucy, causing her to stop in surprise. Then in a lower voice, he said to Asuka, "Okay, kiddo. Fire off four in a row!"

The little girl complied, shooting up at the thieves, Natsu spitting out a small fireball with each pellet that flew to strike their targets with pinpoint precision. A series of explosions wrecked the gliders and sent the flyers crashing to the street.

As they started getting up painfully, Gorun walked over and scooped up the lachryma, which had managed to avoid damage. "Here," he said as he tossed it over his shoulder to Natsu, who caught it and handed it to Asuka, who was positively ecstatic at the return of her treasure. Grinning briefly at the little girl, he added, "Nice shooting, kid." While she gave him a salute with her gun, he and Natsu shared a conspirator's smile.

 _I thought that was weird, him losing out to a little kid,_ he thought as he turned back to face the bandits, who were now finally on their feet, nursing burns and bruises. _Now, as for these guys…_

"Gentlemen, I've been trying to teach this kid the value of being polite to others, and you trying to rob from her? That's not helping." The last three words were delivered with an air of unmistakable menace as a golden magic circle appeared over his head.

"W-We stole it, fair and square!" the leader said nervously. "Y-You can't just go and steal it back! That's against the rules!"

There was a flash of light as Gorun ascended, his brow bent downward as he gazed at the men with contempt while Asuka laughed at them in the background. "You guys are in big trouble now!" she said as she pointed at them. "Mister Gorun is super strong!"

"Wait, Gorun, as in the guy from the Grand Magic-"

"The next time you wanna pick on a little girl, you better make sure _I don't hear about it!_ " he bellowed before punting the man all the way out to sea, cracking the pavement with the force of his movements. Glaring at the other three brigands, all them visibly flinching, he growled, "You can either surrender or run, but I promise that you won't get very far."

There wasn't a single one of them who didn't believe him.

* * *

While Gorun went and fished the half-dead bandit out of the ocean, Natsu and Happy took his accomplices to the local jail house, where the Saiyan youth teleported once he had recaptured his quarry. "Where's Lucy and Asuka?" he asked once the sheriff took the four defeated men off their hands.

"They went back to the guild hall to see if Asuka's cake was ready yet," Happy answered.

"Cool," Gorun nodded as they walked out of the building. Glancing at Natsu, the boy then added "Hey, Happy? Mind flying on ahead of us? I need to talk to Natsu about something in private."

For once, the blue exceed heeded the request without making any sort of back sass comments, only saying, "Sure. See ya back at the guild hall!" Then he sprouted his wings and took off.

"What's up?" Natsu asked as they started walking up the street, Happy safely out of earshot.

"There's something I've been needing to tell you for a while now, really," Gorun admitted. "I just never… The time never seemed right."

Natsu looked at him in aside, then asked, "Did'ja need help on a job or something?"

"No, nothing like that," Gorun chuckled. "It's just kind of a… sensitive subject."

"Is it about Igneel?" Natsu asked excitedly. "Do you know where he might be?"

"Er, no," his friend answered, causing the pinkette to sag with disappointment. "But it is about Lucy- rather, the Lucy from the future." This caught Natsu's interest, he saw. "She gave me a message for you, right before we had to part ways."

"What'd she say?" Natsu asked eagerly.

"Well…" Gorun hesitated awkwardly, then took the plunge. "She told me… She said, 'Tell Natsu that I love him. And that I'm sorry it took him dying for me to realize that. I hope that this time, I realize it without something so horrible happening first.'"

Natsu stopped walking in place, his face blank. Gorun stopped in front of him, turning to look his friend in the eyes with concern. "Sorry, should I not have said anything?" he asked worriedly. "I wanted to tell you sooner, but I was buying a house, then Éclair and Azura came along, and… Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay, man," Natsu shrugged. "I mean… It's not like I didn't know."

Gorun blinked at him a few times, not sure that he had heard the dragon slayer correctly. "Come again?" he asked in disbelief.

"I know Lucy loves me, just like she loves everybody in Fairy Tail," Natsu shrugged.

"I don't think that-"

"But I also know that there's no other friend that I would fight harder for than her," the boy continued as he started walking again, a confused Gorun in tow. "Lucy is a one-of-a-kind, I know. She's been there for me so many times that I don't even know how I'd repay her. But I keep trying, you know?"

"Yeah," the quarter-kai youth murmured. "I do know how that feels. It's how I feel about Kinana."

"I kinda figured," Natsu replied with a faint smile. "And now you're sayin' that Lucy feels the same way about me, right?"

"Yeah," Gorun nodded, glad to realize that Natsu wasn't as dense as he seemed sometimes. "Again, I'm sorry that I didn't say anything sooner."

"Don't worry about it," the fire wizard grinned. "Honestly, it doesn't really change anything between Lucy and me."

"It doesn't?" Gorun asked, once again confused.

"Nah," Natsu shrugged. "Truth is, ever since the whole thing with the Eclipse and losing Lucy to the Time Patrol, I've known how I feel about her. Igneel never taught me much about love and all that, at least not with words. But the way that he took care of me, the way that he protected me… I know that's what love looks like. Lucy and I have that, but it doesn't mean that we have to change how we see each other." Looking at Gorun with a large grin, he added, "We're friends, and that's what matters. If she ever figures out that she feels the same way as she did in the future, I'll be here. And if she doesn't, that's okay, too."

When all Gorun did was stare at him blankly, Natsu laughed and said, "C'mon, man! Isn't that what love is supposed to look like? Bein' there for that person, no matter what? That's what I think is important, anyway."

"You're… Actually, you're completely right," Gorun nodded, surprised by his friend's insight. "That's pretty mature of you, Natsu."

"Heh, I've got my moments," the other boy chuckled.

* * *

They arrived at the guild hall to see Asuka enjoying some cake in the company of Kinana, Mirajane, Lucy, a banged-up-looking Éclair, Wendy, Carla, and Happy, all while Erza sat at a table, her face hidden by the wood that she had pressed her head against.

"What happened to you?" Gorun asked as he sat next to Éclair at the end of the bar.

"Erza decided to take her and Lily up to Mount Hakabe in order to interrogate some Vulcans about where to find the strawberries she was looking for," his girlfriend answered as she came over to stand in front of him with a welcoming smile. "Unfortunately, she had some kind of nervous breakdown, and wound up leaving poor Éclair and Pantherlily to fight the monsters."

"It wasn't a complete waste of time," Éclair sighed as she patted the satchel that she wore. "I got ahold of some seeds for that fruit so the next time we want some, we don't have to walk for half a day to get to them."

"Wait, why did Erza have a breakdown?" Gorun frowned. "That doesn't sound like her."

"Apparently the fact that these strawberries aren't quite as rare as she thought they were makes them less special to her," Mirajane answered. "And Erza pretty much lives for three things: Fairy Tail and strawberry shortcake made of the finest recipes."

"You only listed two things," Gorun pointed out, causing the girl with white hair to smile brightly at him and walk away. "Damn, now that's gonna drive me crazy," he complained.

"So how was your day?" Kinana asked with a light grin in an attempt to change the subject. "I saw that Asuka got what she wanted."

"And then some," Gorun chuckled lightly. "Plus, I got something out of the day, too."

"Oh? What was that?"

Standing up off his stool, Gorun kissed the girl lightly before answering, "I got a reminder on what's really important. And it came from a pretty surprising source." As he drew back, he jerked his chin over to indicate Natsu, who was laughing with Asuka.

"Really?" Kinana asked, surprised. "How'd that happen?"

"I'll tell you about it later," he said as he sat back down with a smile. "I don't know that Lucy's bruised ego could handle it right now."

"I heard that!"

* * *

"So, tomorrow at lunch?" Gorun asked Romeo as he got up to leave the table.

"Yeah, that sounds great!" his younger teammate replied. "See you tomorrow!"

Waving goodbye, Gorun headed out of the guild hall, intent on reaching his home so that he could have the place presentable for his dinner date with Kinana. He was thinking about what he should pick up from the grocery store when he collided with someone hard enough to send them falling on their rear with an audible grunt.

"Whoa, sorry!" he apologized as he dashed around to offer them a hand up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," said a young girl as she accepted his hand in getting up. When she locked eyes with him, hers' widened in surprise as she gasped, "You're Son Gorun, right?"

"That's my name," he said with a friendly smile as he briefly studied her. Judging from her height, she looked to be about twelve years old, with large eyes and a pretty face framed by black hair. "Sorry I knocked you down. I was a little preoccupied."

"No, no, that's totally fine!" she giggled, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "It's not often you get to meet a winner of the Grand Magic Games, so I'll take a little tumble if it gives me a chance to talk to you!"

"Oh yeah?" he laughed easily. "Well, if you want to say hello to some of the other winners, just go up the street and take the next left. From there, keep going straight until you hit a giant building on the waterfront that says 'Fairy Tail'. I think Erza, Gray, and Gajeel are still hanging around."

"I can just go right in?" the girl asked with wide eyes. "But I'm not a wizard!"

"That's all right," he said in a friendly tone as he scanned her for magic power on reflex, but finding none. "My guild isn't too big on ceremony. There's a bar with a really good cook working there right now if you're just wanting something to eat."

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "How're the prices?"

"Just tell 'em that Gorun sent you in, and that I'll cover your tab tomorrow," he answered.

"Aw, you can't go with me?" she asked disappointedly.

"Sorry, kid, but I've got a date to get ready for," he shrugged. Looking up at the descending sun, he added, "Speaking of which, I should get going. It was nice to meet you, uh…?" He paused, realizing that he had never asked for her name.

Letting out another little laugh, the girl said, "My name is Rachel. It was really nice to meet you too, Mister Gorun." She held out a hand, which he shook readily, a bit surprised by her firm grip.

"Just Gorun is fine," he said as he smiled again. "See you around, Rachel." With that, he let go of her hand and walked away, whistling a merry tune.

"See you around," the girl repeated softly, looking down at the hand that had shook his.

* * *

 **Saiki: What was that?**

 **Mataras: What was what?**

 **Gorun: You know what.**

 **Azura: Hey, why didn't I get any screen time this chapter?!**

 **Mataras: Okay, A- no, I don't know. And B- because you didn't need to have any. I'm not gonna shoehorn in a person that doesn't need to be here!**

 **Saiki: There's arguments to be made against that, but I'm sure our readers will make them for me.**

 **Mataras: Oei!**

 **Gorun: Mysteries aside, how's that artwork coming along for the Mirajane and Lisanna fusion?**

 **Mataras: Nearly done. If people follow me on instagram, they should be seeing the image coming up on my feed sometime in the next few days.**

 **Azura: Wait, wasn't there another-?**

 **Mataras: Hey! HEY! Shut up! They don't need to know about that yet!**

 **Gorun: Know about what?**

 **Mataras: And I'm out, before anymore gets spoiled!**

 **Saiki: Next time- Settling Down**

 **Azura: Wasn't that what this chapter was about?**

 **Mataras: Shut it!**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"You sure you wanna do this?" Romeo asked Gorun nervously. "I mean, what if she tells someone and ruins the surprise?"

"Much as I dislike the fact a lot of the time, we are family," Gorun sighed as he drummed his fingers on the table at the diner they were currently eating at. "And… During the fight against the phoenix, I felt as though, even for just a moment, we were able to set aside our differences and act as family members should. I would like it if we didn't hate each other so much, you know? Maybe this will be another step toward bringing us together."

"It's your call, but she still kind of scares me," Romeo admitted.

"Well, I invited Yukino to join us, too, so at least one person will be excited about it," Gorun sighed.

"Wait, won't Kinana think it's weird if we all meet up without her?" his younger comrade asked.

"Normally, yeah," the Saiyan boy nodded. "But she's busy training Éclair this afternoon, so we're good there."

"Éclair is learning ki magic?" Romeo asked, surprised.

"No, she's learning how to control her developing powers with more finesse," Gorun answered. "Apparently fire magic is a little harder to control as opposed to other elemental powers. Actually, Lucy was hoping you would show her a few pointers since you seem to have a knack for it."

"S-Sure!" the boy stammered. "I'm just surprised Natsu isn't helping out with that."

"Can you imagine Natsu as a teacher?" Gorun chuckled, leading Romeo to laugh as well.

"I guess that makes sense," the fire mage grinned. "How come she didn't go with them, though? She did join Team Natsu, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but seeing as one of the most powerful wizards in the world asked for their help, it didn't really seem prudent to bring along a rookie," Gorun shrugged.

"Who's a rookie?" The boys turned to look up at Yukino, who was smiling at the two of them while Azura stood behind them with a slight scowl on her face. The white-haired girl was dressed in a light yellow sweater and black sweatpants that befitted the cooler afternoon weather.

"Er…" Gorun muttered, surprised when he noticed Azura's attire. "What'd you do with my cousin? I've never seen her outside of a martial arts uniform."

"Shut up," the girl muttered through gritted teeth. She was wearing a black crop top with a sleeveless denim jacket over it. The sleeves were pieces on their own, and skintight. Flowing blue pants went down to a pair of black shoes that completed the outfit. "It wasn't my first choice to wear this, but Yukino and Lucy bought it for me, so I figured I would show a little gratitude…"

"I think you need to work on your definition of the word 'gratitude'," Gorun snorted, barely holding in his laughter.

"Rrrgh…" the girl growled threateningly.

"W-Why don't we all sit down so Gorun can tell us why he called us over?" Romeo suggested nervously.

"I am curious about that," Yukino said as she sat down in the booth across from the boys. "When will Kinana be joining us?" Azura sat next to her without another word, a sullen look on her face.

"She won't be," Gorun asserted, and was pleased to finally see a slight look of surprise on Azura's face.

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Eclair

Wizard Name: The Phoenix Priestess

Current Age: 418 yrs

Author's Commentary:

Okay, so I'm sure some people that have seen the movie are wondering, 'Why save Eclair?' Simple answer, really, one that is a staple for me whenever I write a fanfiction in general. I saw wasted potential, and I wanted to do something about it.  
Granted, she was a movie character, and so couldn't actually make much of an impact on the original story, if at all. However, having the creative freedom that I do on this website, I decided that she should not be passed off as a side note/ minor plot device, and thought about how to make her a permanent part of the FT cast and crew. Clearly, she does not have the personality to be a front-liner like most of Team Natsu, but she will definitely be able to hold her own on a battlefield, though she is more likely to stick to a support role with her fire magic (Natsu will be quite excited about this), plus her keen intellect and centuries-long wisdom will no doubt be of great help to the wizards of Fairy Tail.

Known Techniques:

-Rainbow Flame (fire-make magic)

Stats:

-Power: 1/7  
-Speed: 1/7  
-Technique: 3/7  
-Intelligence: 7/7  
-Cooperativeness: 4/7

Fun Facts:

-Her companion, Momon, was brought to life after the phoenix stone animated a stuffed doll that she had made

-Though she considered trying to learn magic similar to Carla's Clairvoyance, she ultimately went with fire-make magic to remind herself of her roots in Fire Village four hundred years ago

-Her golden Fairy Tail emblem is stamped on the back of her left hand (opposite to Lucy's)

-Momon's emblem is on his back (similar to the exceeds), and magenta in color


	24. Settling Down

**A/N: Hello everyone! ...Uh...? Anybody still there? I certainly hope so. o.O**

 **Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long, but the last month has been rather crazy, especially with me hosting a friend that I have not seen in quite some time (and have no real idea of when I'm going to see them again), so I do hope that you'll forgive my lengthy absence. On the other hand, I have just released my response video to the reviews that you all left for the previous chapter, so please go check that out on my YouTube channel. Also, the next chapter _will_ be released promptly on the first weekend of October 2019, and there will be a guaranteed chapter on Halloween (I did my best to create a slightly spooky chapter, so I hope you'll all appreciate it, even though it's my first time attempting something in that genre, and this segway is getting really long...).**

 **In any case, my sincerest apologies for leaving you guys hanging once more, I will do my best not to repeat it in the future. Please enjoy the chapter, leave a review telling me what you think, and share it with your friends.**

 **P.S. This is another fluff chapter, though I did make sure to throw in a couple of DBZ Abridged references. Next chapter promises to get a little more tense, so look forward to it!**

* * *

 _Dread Waters Arc: Prologue_

Settling Down

"You wanna tell me what we're doing here?" Romeo asked Gorun as they walked down the streets of Magnolia. It was a pleasant day out, perfect for taking a job out in the countryside- something the young fire wizard had been planning on. The job requests had been coming in steadily since the escapade with the phoenix in Veronica. However, his team leader had asked him to accompany him into town for an errand that he claimed was important, though he hadn't yet said what exactly they were doing.

"Yes, but first I wanted to get away from the guild hall so no one eavesdropped on us," Gorun said with a faint grin as he made a turn down onto another one of Magnolia's busy streets, waving and smiling at anyone who called out a greeting. Ever since the Grand Magic Games, he had become a very popular figure to the public eye.

"Why?" Romeo asked, his curiosity now more present. "Are we planning something for the guild? A surprise?"

"Oh, it'll be a surprise, but not necessarily for the guild," Gorun chuckled. Stopping in front of a shop with large windows, he turned around to face his comrade and said, "Look, the only other person that knows about this is Gray, and I wanted him and Natsu to be here. But they got called away on that job for one of the Ishgar Emperors, and I don't want to wait any longer, so I decided to bring you along for this."

"Along for what?" Romeo demanded. "You're not making any sense, Gorun!"

"Romeo, where are we standing?" Gorun chuckled, looking like a child waiting for their parent to open a gift they had worked to get them.

The young boy was about to say 'in the street', but then he realized that his leader was making a subtle motion with his head to look at the shop, so he turned to do as he was told. When he did, his eyes widened in surprise. "This is a…"

"Jewelry shop," Gorun finished for him, his grin widening. For indeed, sitting in the windows were many sparkling pieces; necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and of course, rings.

Romeo turned back to look up at him, eyes huge as he asked, "Does that mean you're going to-?"

"I'm here to get a ring for Kinana," Gorun laughed, barely able to contain his glee. "I'm gonna ask her to marry me. And I want you, Gray, and Natsu to be in my wedding party."

"Me?!" Romeo sputtered. "You're gonna-! Are you sure about this?!"

"As sure as I can be, which is pretty certain," the Saiyan boy answered, still beaming with excitement. "What do you say, Romeo? Wanna help me pick out a ring and be in my wedding?"

"Uh… Uh… I mean, yeah!" Romeo finally said, his face lighting up with a smile of his own. "This is so cool! I mean, I've never been in a wedding before, so I'm not really sure what to do, but I'm really glad that you want me to help out!"

"Now how could I not ask one of my own teammates to be at my side on the most important day of my life?" Gorun said as he clapped a shoulder on Romeo's shoulder. "I told Gray that he and Natsu will have to fight for the position of my best man, but seeing as they're both really good at breaking- and in Gray's case, also losing- a lot of things, I was hoping you'd be willing to carry the rings during the ceremony?"

"Yeah!" Romeo grinned. "Good thing you didn't ask me to be your best man, though. I'd be too nervous to do anything right!"

"Yeah, and I'm gonna be relying on Gray or Natsu to help me plan things out?" Gorun laughed as they walked into the shop. "We'll be lucky if the wedding doesn't blow up the cathedral." The shopkeeper, a portly man with rusty-colored hair, waved a greeting to Gorun and Romeo, so they returned the gesture as they began to peruse the collections in the glass cases.

"I think the girls do most of the planning, but I see your point," Romeo chuckled. "So what now? Are we just gonna look through the rings they have here and get one for Kinana, or did you have something else in mind?"

"A bit of both," Gorun replied. Addressing the shopkeeper, he said, "Hello there. Do you happen to do custom pieces?"

"Aye, laddie!" the man replied in a lilting tone. "It takes a bit more time, and the cost ain't goin' to be to yer likin', but I sure can make whatever yer heart desires!"

"Glad to hear it," Gorun said as he walked over to speak to the man at closer range, Romeo in tow, curious about his leader was planning. "Although now that I think about it, I don't know that my request really counts as a custom piece- more of an alteration to something that you already happen to have."

"What kind of alteration?" the other man asked.

"I've had my eye on this ring, actually," the Saiyan boy said as he tapped on the glass case in front of him. They looked down to see that he was pointing to a dainty ring in the likeness of a rose, with a small, glittering diamond resting inside of the silver petals. The band itself was like the stem of such a plant, with a few miniature leaves sprouting off here and there.

"That?" the salesman asked with a raised eyebrow, noting the price on it. "Ye sure, lad? It's worth a lot more than whatever ye got on you, I can guarantee."

"Hang on, do you not know who he is?" Romeo asked, incredulous.

"Can't say that I do, lad," the other man shrugged. "I've only just come to Magnolia recently from an island south of Ishgar."

"It's okay, Romeo," Gorun said before the boy could detail exactly who he was. To their host, he said, "Money is not really a big concern for me, sir. I assure you, I can afford the item in question."

"Can ye now?" the man replied, still appearing unimpressed. "And how exactly would you do that, my boy?"

"Ever heard of the Grand Magic Games?" Gorun replied politely.

"Aye."

"My guild won this year, and I acquired a great sum of money from the event," Gorun said with smile. Rolling up his sleeve to display his emblem proudly, he added, "Ask any of the other people in town, they can back what I'm saying." Letting his sleeve return to its original length, he added, "I'm also carrying the asked amount."

"Well now, that's a different story," the man said, his expression brightening. "I'd be needin' to know what kind of changes ye wanted, though."

"A simple gem exchange," Gorun said smoothly as he reached into his pocket. "I do like that ring, but I have a gem that I would like to see put into the place of the diamond you have in there."

"Is the gem not to yer liking, laddie?" the man asked. "I assure ye, it is one of our finest pieces in our collection."

"It's a great jewel, don't get me wrong," Gorun nodded. "However, it should go to someone that will appreciate its worth, don't you agree? The gem I have is worth more to me because of its sentiment."

"Might I ask why?" the salesman inquired. Romeo had to admit that he too, was curious about why Gorun would pass up on such a finely crafted jewel.

"I made the gem," the older boy replied, surprising the other two. "And I would like to see it worn by my future wife."

"Well now that's one I haven't heard before," the shopkeeper said with a small laugh. "I've been in this business for nearly ten years, and you're the first lad to come in with a gem he's cut on his own!"

"So, can it be done?" Gorun asked. "And if so, how quickly?"

"May I see the gem so I can do some measurements?" the other man asked. "I'll need to see if the ring will need any alterations before I give ye an answer on how long it'll take."

Gorun nodded and reached into his pocket, then laid his hand flat on the counter while the shopkeeper pulled out a few tools. When he took it off, he left behind a ruby that looked to be the same size as the gem in the ring he wanted. The shopkeeper merely nodded and began to examine the jewel, but Romeo's eyes widened as he detected a pulse of magic energy lying within the rock.

"Is that-?" he began, but Gorun gave him a look and shook his head ever so slightly.

To cover for the boy's lapse, he said, "Yeah, it's what I've been working on for the last few weeks. Had to get some friend's help to make it just right, but I'm pretty happy with the results."

"It's a fine jewel," the shopkeeper said, almost to himself. "Though I must confess, I don't often see people wanting anything other than a diamond in their engagement rings." Looking away from Gorun's gem, he glanced at the young man and said, "You're an odd one, aren't ye?"

"I suppose if I wasn't, I wouldn't be getting ready to propose to the girl I love, would I?" Gorun said with a grin.

"I suppose not," the other man chuckled as he handed the gem back to his client. "Well, it shouldn't take me more than an hour to swap the jewels, laddie. Yer lucky- the one you want is almost exactly the same size as the one that's already in there."

"Great," Gorun grinned. "What say I pay you the price of the ring listed with the diamond that's in there and call it even?"

"Well, hold on now," the other man frowned. "It's gonna be extra, see, to swap the two of them, on top of what the gem is worth."

Gorun was already shaking his head in disagreement. "That would be if the ruby was worth the same as the diamond. No one is going to say that a ruby is worth the same or more than the original gem. I'm actually willing to pay you for what the diamond is worth in the ring, and not even take the gem itself. I am offering more than a fair price, but if it's not agreeable to you, I can just take my business elsewhere."

The other man chuckled and hung his head, a little shamefaced. "I see you know how this game works, laddie," he laughed. "Yer right, it's more than a fair offer. I'll see the work done within the hour, if yer still wantin' to do business." He held out his hand in a peace offering.

Gorun smiled and shook the extended hand readily. "Glad to see that we could reach an arrangement," he said.

* * *

They walked out about forty minutes later, the ring secure in a small box that Gorun put in his pocket. He immediately teleported them to his house to put the ring in his safe box, telling Romeo to help himself to whatever was in the fridge while he waited. When he walked back into his living room, he was intrigued to see Romeo sitting on one of his couches, an expectant look on his face.

"What?" he asked his younger comrade.

"You gonna tell me what was up with that ring?" the boy replied. "That guy wasn't a mage, so he couldn't tell that the ruby was actually a lachryma. So what I'm wondering is what is that ring really supposed to do?"

Gorun grinned at his friend and moved to grab a soda from his fridge before turning back and saying, "You remember how my grandmother turned out to be the goddess of time?"

"Kinda hard to forget something like that, yeah," Romeo snorted as he took a drink of water from his cup. "What's that got to do with your ring?"

"Well, Kinana sort of helped me remember that the kais live for untold millions of years," Gorun said heavily, his mood becoming a little grimmer. "They basically don't die unless they're killed. What we're worried about is if I share in their longevity."

"Oh," Romeo said, the thought of outliving everyone he knew and loved rightly disturbing him.

"Exactly," Gorun agreed. "What right would I have to be with her if I'm just going to outlast her, untouched by time while she ages and dies?"

"I can see how that would be kind of a deal-breaker," Romeo nodded. "So, is the ring some kind age preserver or something? I didn't think magic like that existed."

"Nice guess, you're not very far off," Gorun said approvingly. "When Natsu and I fought the phoenix as Narun, we managed to get ahold of some of its tears, which grant immortality, as we've seen with Éclair."

"Hold on," Romeo interrupted, eyes wide. "Are you seriously telling me that you made a lachryma with the phoenix's tears?!"

"Bingo," Gorun chuckled.

"But how?" the other boy asked. "I thought that when the phoenix died, all of its power vanished, too. Éclair even said that she's not immortal anymore!"

"Maybe if we had used the weapon that Master said we should use, that would be the case," Gorun said as he raised a finger. "But consider this- Éclair is still alive. Had we defeated it with the Light of Ablution, we would have erased every bit of the phoenix's influence in the world. But because we did it a different way, some traces of its power remain. I believe that is what allows Éclair to live on now, and how this lachryma is able to exist and function at all."

"But does that mean that the phoenix could come back someday?" Romeo asked worriedly.

"I deem that very unlikely," Gorun replied. "We destroyed its life force completely, so I don't see how it could come back again. It's like if I made a lachryma that contains my etherion spells and implanted it in someone else. My magic would live on, even after I'm gone."

"Oh," Romeo said, feeling immensely relieved.

"So, what kind of food do you think we should go with?"

"Bwuh?"

* * *

"You sure you wanna do this?" Romeo asked Gorun nervously. "I mean, what if she tells someone and ruins the surprise?"

"Much as I dislike the fact a lot of the time, we are family," Gorun sighed as he drummed his fingers on the table at the diner they were currently eating at. "And… During the fight against the phoenix, I felt as though, even for just a moment, we were able to set aside our differences and act as family members should. I would like it if we didn't hate each other so much, you know? Maybe this will be another step toward bringing us together."

"It's your call, but she still kind of scares me," Romeo admitted.

"Well, I invited Yukino to join us, too, so at least one person will be excited about it," Gorun sighed.

"Wait, won't Kinana think it's weird if we all meet up without her?" his younger comrade asked.

"Normally, yeah," the Saiyan boy nodded. "But she's busy training Éclair this afternoon, so we're good there."

"Éclair is learning ki magic?" Romeo asked, surprised.

"No, she's learning how to control her developing powers with more finesse," Gorun answered. "Apparently fire magic is a little harder to control as opposed to other elemental powers. Actually, Lucy was hoping you would show her a few pointers since you seem to have a knack for it."

"S-Sure!" the boy stammered. "I'm just surprised Natsu isn't helping out with that."

"Can you imagine Natsu as a teacher?" Gorun chuckled, leading Romeo to laugh as well.

"I guess that makes sense," the fire mage grinned. "How come she didn't go with them, though? She did join Team Natsu, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but seeing as one of the most powerful wizards in the world asked for their help, it didn't really seem prudent to bring along a rookie," Gorun shrugged.

"Who's a rookie?" The boys turned to look up at Yukino, who was smiling at the two of them while Azura stood behind them with a slight scowl on her face. The white-haired girl was dressed in a light yellow sweater and black sweatpants that befitted the cooler afternoon weather.

"Er…" Gorun muttered, surprised when he noticed Azura's attire. "What'd you do with my cousin? I've never seen her outside of a martial arts uniform."

"Shut up," the girl muttered through gritted teeth. She was wearing a black crop top with a sleeveless denim jacket over it. The sleeves were pieces on their own, and skintight. Flowing blue pants went down to a pair of black shoes that completed the outfit. "It wasn't my first choice to wear this, but Yukino and Lucy bought it for me, so I figured I would show a little gratitude…"

"I think you need to work on your definition of the word 'gratitude'," Gorun snorted, barely holding in his laughter.

"Rrrgh…" the girl growled threateningly.

"W-Why don't we all sit down so Gorun can tell us why he called us over?" Romeo suggested nervously.

"I am curious about that," Yukino said as she sat down in the booth across from the boys. "When will Kinana be joining us?" Azura sat next to her without another word, a sullen look on her face.

"She won't be," Gorun asserted, and was pleased to finally see a slight look of surprise on Azura's face.

"I thought you and her were attached at the hip," the blue-eyed Saiyan said before she could stop herself.

"Normally, yeah, but I was under the impression that marriage proposals are supposed to be a surprise for the lady," her cousin smirked. "Though it is customary to inform one's family and close friends beforehand."

Surprisingly, both of the girls' reactions were not long in coming, and furthermore, they were gratifying to Gorun. Yukino lit up with a smile brighter than he knew she was capable of producing and seized his hands in hers', saying, "I'm so happy for you. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help out."

"I will, thanks," he smiled back, touched by the simple words of his friend.

Turning to Azura, he was surprised to see that she was smiling a little bit as she leaned back in her seat. "You're really sweet on this girl, huh?" she asked him.

"I am," he nodded.

"No wonder I couldn't get you to leave," she chortled softly. Leaning forward, she reached out a hand to Gorun, which he grasped after a moment. "Congratulations from me are probably worthless, but I suppose I'm glad for you."

"It's not worthless," he assured her with a slight grin. "I'm just glad you're not blonde and threatening hellfire on the town right now."

"I get the feeling that if I did, a destroyer would be on their way before long," she replied dryly as she released his hand. "I am going to attach one condition to my being peaceable during all the wedding stuff."

"Do I have to fight you again?" her cousin sighed heavily.

"We're going to do that, regardless," Azura snorted. "No, Kaidon, if I am going to be nice at your wedding, you will have to promise me that if you two ever have children, that I get to train them."

Gorun's face blanked for a second as he considered the possible pros and cons of such a development. Then he said, "Fine, but they don't start training until they're five years old."

"Four," she argued.

"Five, and I'll have Romeo bomb your apartment with a dragon fart fireball if you keep arguing with me," Gorun countered. The boy looked up at his leader with a mixture of indignation and terror.

"No you won't, I live in the same building as Yukino and Erza," Azura smirked.

"I'll have Kinana give you food poisoning," he tried again.

"More likely," his cousin muttered. Then she clicked her fingers and said, "Fine, five years old, but I get to give them their Saiyan names."

"Deal," Gorun agreed, and they shook on it.

"So?" Yukino asked excitedly after they released each other. "When are you planning on asking her?"

"Two days from now," Gorun replied with a smile. "I'll need your guys' help to make it go the way I planned, though."

"What could you possibly need us for?" Azura snorted. "You have the ring already, don't you?"

"Of course I do," he said, shooting her a baleful look. "The thing is… I'm terrible at cooking. Also, I have no idea how to decorate my house for this kind of thing." Azura burst out laughing at that, prompting Gorun to growl, "Hey, it's not my fault Time Patrollers are never taught how to cook. Your skills in the kitchen are probably just as bad as mine."

"True," she said as she wiped a tear from her eye. "So what are you planning to do? Just the two of you having dinner and then putting the ring in the champagne? Oh wait, I forgot, you don't drink."

"Yeah, we all know that one," Romeo chuckled.

"Did he preach fire and brimstone at somebody about it?" Azura guessed.

"Close," the fire wizard laughed. "He actually had a drinking contest with our residential boozer and made her give it up on a bet."

"How did he-?" she started to ask, then gave her cousin a suspicious look. "Super Saiyan?"

"Hey, she made the mistake of not saying that transformations were off-limits," Gorun said, assuming an innocent air. "I won fairly."

"I feel as though we've strayed off-topic…" Yukino said mildly.

"Right, sorry," their leader apologized. "I was actually thinking of having everyone from Golden Tail over for dinner, because you're all important to the two of us- I want all three of you there for this, you know?"

"You're not going to wait for Team Natsu to come back first?" Yukino inquired. "I know you're quite close to Natsu and Gray, even if not the girls in the team."

"Good thing Happy didn't hear that," Romeo sniggered.

"I'm going to ask them to be in the wedding party, yes, but you guys are my team," Gorun answered. "You're the ones that I rely on when I'm out in the field, when things are uncertain."

"If you're feeling uncertain about how she might respond, I don't think you're exactly ready to be asking her to spend her life with you," Azura said with a slight frown.

Her insight surprised Gorun, but he hastened to reply, "No, it's not that! All I'm trying to say is that I trust you three implicitly, and you being there would mean a great deal to me."

"You trust _me_ that much?" his cousin smirked.

"Wait for it…" Romeo said under his breath.

"Actually, you and I just share parallel genetic material, so I'm just kind of obligated to invite you," Gorun chuckled.

"There it is," their youngest teammate grinned.

"I think I'll take that rematch now, Kaidon," Azura growled.

"We're off-topic again…" Yukino sighed.

"Yet another reason why I need to marry Kinana," Gorun said sheepishly. "She helps keep me focused, it seems. Unless I'm in a fight."

"Even you have enough Saiyan in you for that to be true," Azura smirked.

While she and Gorun began to argue again, Romeo leaned over the table to mutter to Yukino, "Maybe we should just go ahead and plan things out- this is going nowhere fast."

"Good idea."

* * *

"Thank you for helping me," Éclair said as she sank into the couch in her and Lucy's apartment. She pulled her t-shirt away from her stomach, still unused to the stifling clothing that most people now wore. She had wanted to continue wearing her normal outfits, but Lucy had insisted on expanding her wardrobe, even if just a little. "I didn't realize that learning magic would be so difficult for me." Momon was sleeping in her room, so she kept her voice a little lower than normal.

"I know what you mean," Kinana smiled as she sat in the recliner that also bordered the coffee table. "When Gorun first started training me, I thought I was going to be hopeless. I actually had next to no magic to begin with, but he helped me grow it into the abilities that I have now."

"Hmm," Éclair mused with a small smile. "It's nice that you have someone close to you like him. I'm sure it makes the challenges of life easier to bear."

"It does," Kinana replied happily, her smile growing. "Just remember that there are plenty of people in Fairy Tail to help you succeed now. You don't have to go it alone anymore."

"So Lucy keeps reminding me," Éclair laughed softly as she stared at the back of her left hand, where her guild mark was stamped. "Even with this, it feels strange, being able to rely on others beside myself and Momon. I know in my head that I can, but in my heart…" She shrugged as her eyes glazed over, remembering centuries of isolation. "That is more difficult to convince."

"Maybe that's why you're having issues with your magic power," Kinana suggested. Éclair, despite having a wealth of energy in her body, had trouble controlling all but the most basic fire spells. "One of the keys to being a powerful mage is to be completely in tune with your mind, soul, and body. Or so Gorun says."

"He would know, I should think," her brown-haired comrade chuckled again. "The power he and his cousin displayed while fighting the phoenix… If only it had existed four hundred years ago, then perhaps the phoenix would have never risen to power the way that it did."

"True, but then we would never have met," Kinana said gently. "And I would count that as a loss."

"That's sweet of you to say," Éclair replied. "But the truth is that if Gorun had wound up in the past, we would never know anything different than what his actions would have wrought. Just as we do not know what would have happened if he had not shown up when he did nearly two years ago."

 _She's not entirely right,_ Kinana thought, reflecting on the Future Lucy and Rogue, plus all the dragons that had come through the Eclipse Gate. However, she thought better of mentioning it, and instead chose to say, "Regardless, I'm glad that you can be a part of our guild."

"Me too," the wizard-in-training said with a wry smile. "I never thought to share sentiments with wizards, much less become one myself… But I am glad for the life I have been granted."

"What did you do before you met us?" Kinana asked curiously. "I mean, besides travel with Momon? I think I remember him saying something about you being a fortune-teller?"

"That's what other people called me," Éclair answered. "I simply offered advice about the future based on what I could glean of the person's past, and I got very good at it, I suppose. After some time, I just sort of acted the part of a prophetess- I even had a crystal ball at one point."

Kinana let out a small burst of giggles at the thought, which caused Éclair to smile again. "Sorry," the purple-haired girl said when she had settled down. "I mean, magic hasn't been invented yet that shows us the future on command. I know Carla has her clairvoyance, but she can only tell other people what she sees, not put it in a crystal ball. Even Cana's cards can only hold predictions, not certainties."

"Apparently, people that do not possess magic will believe whatever they want to about it," Éclair shrugged. "I never claimed to be a seer, nor a magician of any kind, yet people insisted on coming to see me for glimpses of their future."

"Would you mind giving me a demonstration?" Kinana requested, surprising Éclair.

"You want me to predict your future?" she asked. "Even though I told you I have no such power?"

"You can take a guess," the barmaid laughed. "It's for fun! I promise not to take it too seriously if it'll make you feel better."

"Well… all right," Éclair shrugged as she sat up straighter and fixed an attentive gaze on Kinana. "Give me just a moment, and I will tell you what I can." Her brow bent downward as she concentrated, her scrutiny making Kinana squirm slightly with discomfort.

When maybe two or three minutes of silence had passed, Éclair relaxed again and let out a long breath. "It's strange," she murmured. "Your past is mostly hidden from my sight. However, I was able to wrest a few answers out of it."

"You sure this isn't some kind of magic?" Kinana asked.

"It's not," Éclair insisted tiredly. "All I need to know is in your face and eyes."

"How is that possible?"

"The eyes are the windows to the soul, and the face is a canvas on which Time uses our experiences as the paints to create the image we wear," Éclair answered sagely. "Your eyes tell me that you have long searched for happiness, yet have recently obtained it, leading to contentment on your part. Your face tells me that you worry about others more than yourself, and that you often work yourself ragged on their behalf. You strive to better the existence of those you care for with little regard for your own happiness."

Kinana reddened, but held the gaze of the other girl as she cleared her throat and said, "So… what does that tell you about my future?"

"Nothing," Éclair grinned lightly. "But I suggest that you learn to let others take care of you if you want to live for any length of time. Otherwise, you'll work yourself to death."

"Ah," Kinana said, a bashful smile appearing on her own face. "Well, I doubt Gorun would let me do that. He's always looking out for me, so I'd think that he would stop me before I hurt myself working too hard."

"Hmm," Éclair mused, hiding another smile behind her mouth as she remembered the previous morning. She had been on a walk with Momon when she had seen Gorun and Romeo standing in front of the jewelry shop. She had been about to go and say hello when they both went inside, and she managed to guess what the Saiyan boy was up to.

It was very tempting to clue Kinana in on the fact via a 'prediction', but she decided against it. Gorun probably wanted to surprise her, and she did not want to ruin that for him or Kinana.

Finally, she stood up and said, "Well, I don't know about you, but I am hungry. Would you like to help me make something here, or shall we go out for dinner? Lucy left me some money in case I wanted to try some of the local cuisine."

"Tell you what, let's go to the grocery shop and bring some things back here," Kinana said as she stood to join her. "I'll teach you how to make something new, sound good?"

"I'd like that," Éclair nodded. "Just let me leave Momon a note before we go."

"Sure."

* * *

"How long do we have to keep doing this?" Azura complained.

"Until I say we do," Gorun replied smugly as he reached out and pointed to a pastry sitting in the display case. To the man on the other side, he said, "This one, please."

"Does it really matter that you have a pie on top of all the other things you're planning to make?" his cousin muttered with her arms folded as the man moved to pack the dessert Gorun had selected. "Or rather, the things you're planning to have Yukino make for you?"

"Hey, we both know that if I do the cooking, no one is going to enjoy themselves," he snorted in response. The two of them were gathering materials for the proposal dinner that afternoon.

"I'm not going to be enjoying myself if I have to keep sitting around on my hands for much longer," Azura scowled. "Two weeks I've been here, and not one job you've taken me on."

"Good thing I've arranged for us to take an S-class job that we head out for tomorrow," Gorun smirked. "I filled out the paperwork with Mira the other day, before we met up at the diner."

"Finally!" the girl said with such a profound relief that Gorun couldn't help but chuckle at it. Seeing it, she muttered, "Shut up. Tell me what the job is."

"Which one do you want me to do?" he asked innocently. "Can't be quiet and tell you what we're doing."

"Kaidon…" she growled.

Dropping his joking attitude, Gorun told her, "It's fairly straightforward. The Magic Council put out a request to track down whoever or whatever is responsible for Fiore's trade ships going missing off the southeastern coast. If it's a person or people, we bring them in, alive. If it's a monster, we exterminate it with extreme prejudice."

"I thought these people didn't put up kill contracts?" Azura asked as Gorun paid for the pie and took it from the baker.

"Not against people- that's illegal," he explained. "But fighting beasts is a different story. We can go nuts on them if we want."

"And if the people resist arrest?" Azura asked with a dark smile.

"I know accidents happen in the field, but on my team, they had better be actual accidents," Gorun warned her. "We don't kill unless absolutely necessary."

"Fine," the girl sighed.

"There is one catch that I tried to work around, but couldn't be helped," the boy said as they walked out of the shop and into the busy midday market.

"What's that?"

"The contract went out to multiple guilds, and the job demands that at least two groups participate," her cousin answered. "That's why we didn't set out immediately after I took the job. Mira just got the roster back this morning, and it looks like this mission might be a little awkward."

"Why, is it one of the guilds you fought during the games?" she chuckled, until he shot her a baleful look. "Really?"

"It's not just that," Gorun said heavily. "You remember how we told you that Yukino used to be part of another guild that expelled her because of her performance in the games?"

"And then you and that Salamander kid went and attacked their master?" Azura snickered. " _Please_ tell me it's those guys."

"We made nice, more or less, but I think their new master, Sting, is still a little stung about how Yukino chose Fairy Tail over Sabertooth in the end," he replied. "By the way, pun entirely intended."

"I will fire a Kamehameha through your house right this second."

"And I'll put one through your head if you do," he shot back.

"…We really need to spar before this party of yours, or we're going to kill each other."

"Yeah…"

* * *

A few hours later, Team Golden Tail was assembled at their leader's house, Kinana being the only member unaware as to what the true purpose of the social gathering was meant for. They ate, drank, and laughed, largely at Gorun's expense. Even Azura was in a better mood than usual, having sparred with her cousin about an hour before they all got together, though a good mood for her meant being taciturn and not blowing things up whenever Gorun made fun of her.

During desert, he briefed the rest of the team about the mission that they would be setting out on tomorrow. When he brought up the fact that they would have to be working with Sabertooth, he turned to Yukino and said, "If you want to sit this one out, I completely get it."

The white-haired girl looked down at her hands thoughtfully before saying, "Why do we need to work with them for this mission? From the sounds of things, we could handle it on our own."

"I agree, but the magic council feels that it would do if the guilds learned to work together from time to time," Gorun answered readily, having put the question to Mirajane beforehand. "Apparently about half the requests from the council will be handled like this from now on." When the celestial mage remained quiet, he said, "Look, if it makes you uncomfortable, the thought of working with them, I can pull us out of this mission."

"No, don't do that," she said quickly. "It will be good for us to work with them, especially me. I can hardly expect to grow as a person and a wizard if I hold on to a grudge after they've tried to change themselves for the better, right?"

"We'll be there to help you out, too," Kinana said with a gentle smile. "And if they say anything remotely bad about you, well, now we have two Super Saiyans to knock some sense into them."

"And we'll do it," Azura said firmly, surprising her teammates. When they all looked a question at her, she shrugged and said, "What? I like hitting things, and this seems like a good excuse."

"Just as long as they can walk afterwards," Gorun chuckled.

"That seems oddly specific," Romeo said nervously.

* * *

After dinner and desert, Gorun led the team out to the back, where he had constructed a fire pit to enjoy during the evenings. Once he had the wood all set up, the team leader turned to Romeo with a grin and asked, "Mind helping me out?"

Romeo smiled back and tossed an orange fireball into the pit, immediately getting a good blaze going. The smell of pine smoke soon filled the air while the group fell to talking. Ever since the destruction of the Eclipse Gate, Gorun had been more willing to discuss his past experiences with the Time Patrol, and now that Azura was there to contribute, the tales multiplied exponentially.

"Now, hold on, I didn't have an issue with Metal Cooler," Gorun protested after Azura finished recounting one of their missions to correct a timeline fragment in which Frieza's brother had managed to join forces with the evil saiyan, Turles.

"Oh, was the pirate the problem, then?" his cousin sniggered. "If so, that's pretty embarrassing."

"How was I supposed to know he could go Super Saiyan in that timeline?" Gorun complained. "Besides, I got the job done!"

"Only after your dad took out the Big Gheti Star and created a distraction for you," she snorted.

"Okay, do I need to bring up the Garlic Jr. incident?" Gorun smirked.

"Only if you want me to tell them about what happened when you ate Mr. Popo's lunch," she shot back.

Gorun paled so rapidly that Kinana was afraid that he might pass out. "No, we're good," he said quickly, his voice strained.

"Who's Mr. Popo?" Romeo asked. Azura was trying in vain to hold in her laughter, her shoulders shaking while her blue eyes sparkled with barely restrained glee.

"First rule of Popo's training," Gorun replied as he stared into the fire. " _Never_ talk about Popo's training!"

"Uh…?" Romeo looked over at Yukino with a questioning gaze, but the girl could only shrug, clueless as to who this 'Popo' character was.

"I've heard this person's name a few times, but whenever he does come up, this is the result," Kinana said as she rubbed Gorun's back. "Apparently he has a few rules that some of the Time Patrollers didn't pay attention to. …He's never told me what happens to them, actually."

"Ninth rule of Popo's training!"

* * *

After a while, the conversation steered away from the old genie, and the group fell to discussing their guild members.

"So, that Salamander boy and the blond girl?" Azura asked as she drank from a pint that she had brought for herself. "They aren't an item?"

"I think everyone _but_ them knows that they are," Romeo snickered. "She's kind of an airhead, and Natsu's denser than a brick wall, so I guess it's no wonder."

"I thought you idolized Natsu?" Yukino asked him.

"He is my hero, but that doesn't mean I'm blind to his flaws," Romeo shrugged. "Besides, it's part of what makes him the way that he is, so I guess I wouldn't expect anything else."

"Very wise," Gorun nodded.

"So, who do you look up to?" Yukino asked her leader.

The saiyan boy thought about that for a little while before answering, "I suppose I don't know. Most people I know practically worshipped half of my ancestors, but… Well, I suppose I would have to say Bardock." At this name, Azura noticeably straightened, looking at her cousin with a greater intensity than normal.

"Goku's father?" Kinana inquired.

"That's him," Gorun nodded. "Some of the more obscure timeline fragments depict him as the first Super Saiyan, but even if that weren't true, he was a warrior of great renown."

"Why?" Romeo inquired. "What'd he do that was so special?"

"Besides fathering the most powerful mortal to walk the cosmos?" Gorun chuckled. "Well, he was born a low-class warrior. His whole life, he was told that he would be good for nothing but acting as the vanguard for the fighters with the real power. Despite that, he rose through the ranks of Saiyan society through his cunning and talent for battle. There were some that even said that he might be the first to break the caste system that had existed for generations on planet Vegeta."

"I thought you disliked him because of the genocides he committed in the name of his race," Kinana said.

"I did," Gorun nodded slowly as he leaned back in his seat to stare at the stars. "But more and more, I find myself thinking about his final actions, as they were- first saving his son, and then choosing to stand and fight instead of just accepting his fate like most every other person on their planet did. He may have lived as a monster, but in my eyes, he died as a hero."

"You've grown," Azura murmured, just loud enough for Gorun's sensitive ears to pick it up. He raised his eyebrows at her, but she ignored him in favor of turning to Yukino and asking, "Whom do you look up to?"

"Lucy," the silver-haired mage replied instantly. "Her kindness is only matched by her tenacity, which is why I had originally planned to give her my zodiac keys. I would not have them entrusted them to anyone else, should something ever happen to me."

"What about you, Azura?" Kinana asked. "Is there someone who you look up to above all others?"

"Prince Vegeta, of course," she snorted. "The man born with power that he knew not how to wield until he found his true calling… He ever seeks to compete with his one true rival, Kakarot. Like him, I seek to grow stronger so that I can challenge my own rival on even footing."

Gorun began to laugh at that, while his cousin shot him an annoyed look, prompting Romeo to ask, "Why is he doing that?"

"Because I can still use Super Saiyan god, and she can't!" Gorun wheezed, trying to catch his breath while still laughing.

"Wait, really?!" Yukino asked, eyes wide. "Since when?"

"Since I tried it the other day while I was sparring with her over the ocean!" the boy chortled.

"You have an advantage with divine ki- that's unfair!" Azura snarled.

"Never stopped Vegeta from keeping up with Goku!" Gorun laughed.

"Kaidon…" his cousin growled.

Before either of them could get into it any further, Kinana gasped and said, "Look!" She pointed toward the clear sky, where hundreds of stars were glittering in the dark canopy that enveloped their world.

As everyone followed her direction, they unconsciously stood up from the lawn chairs that they had been using. "What are we-?" Romeo started to ask, then stopped as a streak of light raced across the stars. "Oh."

"Shooting stars!" Yukino exclaimed as the one streak was joined by another, then three, then a dozen, then a multitude. "This is beautiful!"

"I've never seen so many," Kinana added, awe in her voice.

"I asked Lucy to check with her spirit, Grandpa Crux, when the next meteor shower was supposed to be," Gorun said, a large grin flavoring his voice. "It's why I planned this evening out the way I did."

"You knew that this- oh my." Kinana stopped mid-sentence as she turned to see Gorun down on one knee, his hands folded on his leg and the brightest smile she'd ever seen on his face. Everyone turned to see the same thing a second later, then broke out into laughter.

"Okay, that's pretty smooth, bro," Romeo chuckled.

"Nice touch," Azura admitted.

"I need a recording lachryma!" Yukino exclaimed as she reached into her purse.

Kinana and Gorun just laughed as they gazed at each other, everything else falling away around them, until it was just the two of them beneath the falling stars. After a few seconds, Gorun manage to clear his throat enough to say, "I came to this world much like those stars did- a complete stranger, unaware of the beauty and adventure that lay before me. No quest, no mission, no day of my life has ever been as amazing as the times that I've spent with you, Kinana. You are my life's greatest adventure, and I never want it to end."

He unfolded his hands to reveal a small box on which he lifted the lid to reveal a beautiful ring with a dark ruby resting in the middle of a miniature silver rose. "I had this made with the tears of the phoenix," he said as Kinana gazed at it with wide eyes. "So long as you wear the ring, you can share in my longevity, and together we can wander the cosmos until the end of time itself. I will be by your side every day of eternity, Kinana, if you wish for it. With that in mind, I hope you'll do me the honor of being my wife. What do you say?" As he completed the question, he lifted the box so that it was level with his eyes as he gazed up at her.

"You made this… for me?" she whispered, a small film of tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"I did," he nodded.

"And you really want me by your side for all time?"

"I do," he nodded again.

"Then yes, I will marry you, Son Gorun," she said with the most beautiful smile that he had ever seen. She held out her left hand, and he slipped the ring onto the appropriate finger, smiling the whole while.

Once the ring was on, the boy leaped up and embraced his true love with a kiss, even as the night blazed with a thousand falling stars, and their closest friends offered them their congratulations.

"I love you, Kinana."

"And I love you… Kaidon."

For the first time in his life, Gorun smiled at the sound of his true name.

 _I'm home._

* * *

 **Saiki: Seriously, why am I still here? It's a giant pain.**

 **Mataras: As opposed to working on your show, which doesn't run anymore?**

 **Saiki: ...Touche.**

 **Gorun: I gotta say, Azura was surprisingly chill for this chapter. Not that I'm complaining.**

 **Mataras: Hey, she's confrontational, not totally heartless.**

 **Azura: I can hear you, idiots.**

 **Gorun: He made me do it!**

 **Mataras: Look, I've got more important things to worry about than you two getting at each others' throats, so let's save it for the next chapter, okay?**

 **Azura: Why, are you that worried about being absent for an extra few days?**

 **Mataras: Hey, I'm used to providing my readers with a more consistent content than my other stories, okay? I feel kinda bad for having left them hanging for longer than usual. Saiki, if you would?**

 **Saiki: While Mataras is aware that nothing happened in the way of adrenaline-fueled action in this chapter, we do assure our readers that we are by no means finished with that particular trend. It won't be long now, relatively speaking.**

 **Azura: The hell's that supposed to mean?**

 **Gorun: We'll get a very action-heavy chapter for Halloween. Even so, the next installment promises to be very entertaining.**

 **Azura: According to who?!**

 **Mataras: According to the guy that's making this whole thing happen!**

 **Azura: Great...**

 **Mataras: What do you want from me?!**

 **Saiki: More consistent material.**

 **Mataras: Don't you start, too!**

 **Gorun: Next time- Rough Waters.**

 **Mataras: I didn't say that you could start the preview!**

 **Azura: Yeah, we decided to start a union/revolt against you.**

 **Mataras: How does that even-?!**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"Terrorism?" Rogue asked, looking doubtful.

"Why not?" the saiyan youth replied. "What better way to frighten citizens than to show that their war vessels, material goods, even a mode of transportation, is no longer safe?"

"Who would do something like that?" Yukino asked. "Fiore has no open hostilities with any of its neighbors."

"Key word there being 'open'," Azura smirked. Looking up at Gorun, she asked, "Any ideas on that front?"

"The only one that comes to mind is the Alvarez Empire, but they've been quiet for almost a decade," he answered. When everyone else gave him blank looks, he added, "They're a nation across the sea that tried to invade us a few years ago. Magic Council fired the etherion at their fleet as a warning, told them that the next shot would level their capital, if not their entire country. Turned tail and ran- we haven't heard from them in years."

"Could this be a dark guild at work?" Sting guessed. "Some rebel sect that isn't happy with the new council?"

"Since when have the wizard guilds of our country ever been happy with the council?" Yukino pointed out.

"Could still be a motive," Sting argued.

"I think that if the people responsible for this were smart enough to capture or sink passing ships with one-hundred percent accuracy, they would find a more direct way to attack the council, should that be their goal," Azura said as a counterpoint. "I'm more likely to believe that this is a terrorist attack from an outside force than some petty anarchy."

"Okay, say it is terrorism," Rogue sighed. "That still leaves the question as to who is behind this."

"Veronica?" Kinana suggested. "They can't be too happy about how things turned out at their celebration."

"This was happening before the phoenix became a problem," Yukino pointed out. "There are other kingdoms in Ishgar, but none of them have a reason to potentially trigger a war."

"Fiore _is_ pretty fortunate with its wizarding population," Lector, Sting's exceed said through a mouthful of fish. "We could crush just about anybody that'd be stupid enough to pick a fight with us."

"Cat makes a good point," Azura muttered. "Based on what you've all told me, none of the other countries are in a hurry to pick a fight with this place."

"Back to square one," Rogue growled.

"Scary square," Frosch said, shaking in his pink frog costume.

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Lucino

Fusion Technique: Metamoran

Counterparts: Lucy Heartfelia and Yukino Agria

Conception/Author's Commentary:  
After creating Narun, I wrestled with the idea of whether or not to create other fused characters, and if so, whether or not they would need a Dragon Ball character to work. After weighing the two options, and they could affect this story in particular, I decided to go ahead with it, mostly because I was interested in exploring who would be compatible to fuse with whom, and the new magics that could result from such combinations. Obviously with Lucino, the magic is fairly straightforward, and essentially adds up to being a huge power boost and an ego to match it.  
Lucy, as we all know, is quite vain, but is rather unsure of her own potential and capabilities when it comes to contributing to her guild's strength. Then we have Yukino, who is quite confident in her magic, but is probably a more sensitive soul than Lucy (hard as that might be to believe). I wanted to make their fusion have personality traits that made her just similar enough to be reminiscent of them, but also give her an identity fairly far removed from theirs'. I'd like to think that I succeeded, but I can't really judge from an objective viewpoint.

Known Techniques:

-Celestial Spirit Magic (Summoning): By using a key tied to a celestial being, Lucino can call upon them to aid her in battle. Thus far, she has demonstrated the ability to summon all of the zodiac spirits at once, though with some difficulty. It is worth noting that should a single wizard attempt this on their own, the effort would kill them instantly.  
-Heaven's Cluster Grenade: A move inspired by Piccolo/Gorun's Hellzone Grenade, she gathers raw energy from the starlight that she has available and creates hundreds of small projectiles that she can launch at a single target, or multiple, though her accuracy decreases a great deal if she fires indiscriminately.

Known Transformations/Enhancements:  
-Celestial Spirit Magic (Gate Resonance): By harmonizing her magic power with a zodiac key, Lucino can borrow the powers of a celestial spirit that her counterparts are contracted to, and use their magic as her own. However, she cannot mimic more than one spirit's magic at a time. It also has no effect on her physical appearance, other than the symbol of the zodiac spirit that she is resonating with will appear on the back of her hand.

Equipment/Items Used:

-Metamo-rings  
-Golden Zodiac Keys

Accomplishments:

-Broke out of the Crocus Palace alongside several other wizards from Fairy Tail, despite being confronted by a small army of guards  
-Closed the Eclipse Gate by summoning the entirety of the Golden Zodiac company  
-Fought against the Jade Dragon, Zirconis  
-Participated in the rescue of Eclair from the city-state of Veronica  
-Assisted Gorun and Azura in the battle against the Immortal Phoenix,alongside the rest of Fairy Tail's elite

Stats (Metamo-Rings):

-Power: 6/7  
-Speed: 2/7  
-Technique: 5/7  
-Intelligence: 5/7  
-Cooperativeness: 6/7

Stats (Traditional Fusion):

Unknown as of yet

Fun Facts:

-Lucino has a habit of referring to Natsu as 'hotshot', seemingly as a term of endearment

-Unlike other Metamoran fusions, Lucino refers to herself in the singular instead of the plural

-She is quite vain about her looks, even more so than Lucy

-She admires Narun a great deal, bordering on infatuation, but she does not act on it as to avoid a series of very confusing romantic entanglements. Yukino is not attracted to Gorun when separate from Lucy; this is purely born of Lucino's own tastes.

-Her guild mark is pink with a silver outline, and is located on the back of her right hand

-Her zodiac markings appear on the back of her left hand


	25. Rough Waters

**A/N: Well, it has been a bittersweet week that has brought us here, as the Fairy Tail anime has finally come to an end. I hold out hope for the 100 Years Quest being made into an animated series, but no word on that as of yet. However, I was very excited to learn about the Fairy Tail RPG game that will be coming out for the PS4, so I'm sure I'll end up doing at least one or two videos on it!**

 **Now, as it's the beginning of October, I thought it only appropriate that we begin setting up for a (SLIGHTLY) spooky story arc. This is an arc of my own making, and it's only going to last two chapters, but I had a lot of fun making it. I can only hope that you all enjoy it, too.**

 **Now, read, review, and enjoy!**

 **P.S. If you follow my other story, The Red Swordsman Shattered Fragment, I put up a poll on my home page concerning that retelling of SAO.**

 **P.P.S. I know that I haven't made a response video for the reviews on the last chapter, but my wife and I have both been ill these last few days. I'll make it as soon as I am able.**

* * *

 _Dread Waters Arc: Chapter 1_

Rough Waters

"It feels good to be going to work again," Yukino said as she and the rest of Golden Tail walked down to the pier, where the ship they were being hired to protect, the _Hydrangea_ , was docked. It was a military vessel, designed to transport arms and other supplies to the outposts on Fiore's southern border. As such, it was a massive craft, large enough to house an entire town's population, and still have room for a guild's worth of wizards.

"You're this relaxed even though we're about to set sail with people you used to work with before ditching them for my cousin's guild?" Azura snorted. For this trip, she had donned a sports top and a pair of loose jeans, both blue in color. A necklace with a small orange crystal was draped around her neck as her only other clothing item, since she had elected to go barefoot.

"Your guild, too," Gorun reminded her with a sharp look, his hand intertwined with Kinana's, her engagement ring sparkling in the bright sunlight. He had changed into a sleeveless variation of his combat gi, though he did have his bracers with him. His new fiancée was adorned with a light green sun dress and sandals that went well with the warm weather.

"I just work here," the blue-haired saiyan hybrid shrugged. "And so far, I have yet to even see a paycheck."

"I've been meaning to ask…" Romeo, who was decked out in shorts and his open purple vest, asked his leader. "How're we dividing up the goods now that your cousin is here?"

"I was talking to Kinana about that, actually," Gorun answered. "We decided that my cut will now be Azura's, and Kinana and I will split her portion from now on. That way we can still put savings away for our team, and you and Yukino don't end up losing money to Azura."

"Are you sure about that?" the celestial mage asked, a little concerned. "Because I really don't mind sharing my part with you."

"Yeah, me too," Romeo added.

Kinana and Gorun exchanged a smile before she told them, "It would have happened eventually. With Gorun and I getting married, we figured that we don't need as much income as the rest of you, since you live on your own. Well, I mean, I guess you don't, Romeo."

"But it's never too early to start saving," Gorun chuckled. Before any of them could object again, he told them, "Look, I appreciate what you're saying, but it's really okay. My home is already paid for, so my living expenses are less than yours. I really only need utilities and food money to get by, and I can eat at the guild hall since we already pay our ten percent to Master anyway."

"And I won't need to pay rent once we've gotten married, so…" Kinana giggled. "Really guys, we thought this through." Gorun kissed her on the cheek, making her laugh again.

"Are we already on the boat?" Azura said as she pretended to gag. "Cos I'm pretty sure I'm seasick."

"Shut up," her cousin muttered.

"Hey look," Romeo said as he pointed down the pier to where a ramp led up to the ship. "I think Sabertooth's already here." The others looked to where he was indicating, and Yukino tensed up when she recognized their soon-to-be teammates.

"Hey!" Sting called out with a friendly smile and an overzealous wave. "Glad to see you guys made it!" Standing by him was Rogue, who looked indifferent as ever.

"I… didn't expect the new guild master to be here," Yukino said hoarsely.

"Do you need me to take you home?" Gorun asked her gently as they stopped advancing down the gangplank. "I didn't know it was going to be them coming with us, I promise."

"No…" the silver-haired girl said as she took in a deep breath. "I need to do this. I'm a Fairy Tail wizard, and I'm proud of that. I won't let my past be chains upon me." So saying, she raised her chin and strode forward with new confidence.

"Great… Can we get on the ship now?" Azura muttered.

Gorun gave her a one-armed shove that caught her off-guard, sending her flying into the water. As he and Kinana walked away from the sputtering, furious girl, he grinned and said, "I'm gonna enjoy having _so_ many opportunities to do that over the next week."

"Mind that she doesn't do the same to you," Kinana laughed softly as she poked him in the side.

"Her fault for not remembering to fly in time," he shrugged.

"Is she gonna be mad again?" Romeo asked nervously as they heard the blue-haired girl leap out of the water and fling droplets from her hair.

"She's always mad."

"Great…"

It was at this time that Sting and Rogue stepped forward to meet them in front of the ramp that led up to the _Hydrangea_. "Hey, Gorun!" Sting grinned as he stepped forward to shake hands with the young warrior. "How's life in the old guild hall treating you? I heard it got restored."

"I feel like I've finally come home," the tailed boy admitted as he gripped Sting's hand. "How are things at Sabertooth? I heard you became the new guild master."

"I'd hoped somebody else would take the job, but I was kinda outvoted," the blond man said sheepishly as he rubbed his neck. "Still, with Rogue, Lector, and Frosch, we're making things better than ever." Suddenly growing more somber, he turned to make eye contact with Yukino, who met his gaze evenly, without hostility or familiarity.

"I didn't know we'd be seeing you on this job," Sabertooth's new master said after a moment. Then he offered an awkward smile and added, "But I am glad to see you, Yukino. I hope that we can really work together this time- do it right, you know?"

"I hope so, too," she answered, relaxing just a little bit. "I'm glad to see you both doing well." Hearing this, everyone else was able to breathe just a little easier.

"So, uh…?" Sting said, still feeling a little awkward, apparently. "Who else is with you? I think I know you from the Grand Magic Games, miss… Kendra?" He glanced back and forth between Gorun and his fiancée.

"Kinana," the young woman laughed sweetly. "Yes, I'm on Gorun's team."

"I'm Romeo," their fire mage added, stepping forward to shake hands with Sting. "Gorun made us into an official team right after the whole dragon incident, so I guess you wouldn't know about some of us."

"What about that girl over there?" Rogue asked, jerking his head over at Azura, who was furiously wringing out her lengthy hair, making sputtering noises that reminded Gorun of an angry cat. "I've never seen her before."

"That would be my cousin, Azura," Gorun replied. "She practices the same kind of magic as Kinana and I do, and she's almost as strong as I am."

"Wait, seriously?!" Sting gaped while Rogue looked a little jarred. "Then how come she wasn't in the games with you?"

"She, uh… took a little longer to join the guild," Gorun half-lied. "Truth be known, we haven't been on the best of terms in recent years. But we're trying to work on that now."

"Kaidon, I swear to Shenron, if this saltwater ruined my hair, there will be an entire multiverses' worth of hell to pay!" she shouted at him from up the pier, holding up her sopping wet blue locks angrily as she did so.

"Have… you made any progress?" Rogue asked dubiously.

"Has she blown me up along with the surrounding town yet?" Gorun deadpanned.

"…No?"

"Progress."

* * *

They were soon after shown by one of the crew members where they could put their things. To the collective surprise of the wizards, they were afforded actual rooms, not just a common area with all the other staff. They were small and a little stuffy, but the girls were especially glad of the privacy.

When Gorun asked about the accommodations, the soldier shrugged and said, "This ship has afforded dignitaries from time to time. Captain told us to let you guys have 'em, and it isn't a soldier's place to complain."

"Captain?" Gorun asked with a bit of surprise. "I thought the ship was being manned by a Commander Marcos?"

"Commander Marcos is still on board, but he's acting as first mate at this time," the soldier replied. "Captain Bartholomew has more experience with naval battles, so the king asked him to take command for this journey."

"Ah," Gorun muttered. "Well, if at all possible, may Sting and I meet with the Captain before launch? There are a few things we'd like to discuss with him."

"Of course," the soldier nodded. "He and the Commander both will be on the bridge, if you'll come with me."

* * *

The two party leaders were led up to the bridge room, where several more experienced soldiers stood around, fiddling with instruments of which functions the young men knew not. A couple of men were peering down at a map of Fiore's coastline, both of them middle-aged and obviously of a higher rank.

"Sir!" the soldier that had been escorting them said as he came sharply to attention. "The wizards from Fairy Tail and Sabertooth have arrived, sir!"

"Very good, Seaman," one of the two officers said as he straightened up from looking down at the table. "That will be all. Dismissed!"

"Sir!" With that, the young soldier marched away.

"Welcome aboard the _Hydrangea_ , wizards," the man said as he reached a hand out to Sting. "We're glad to have you with us." He was a tall man with dark hair that was frosting silver at the edges of his well-trimmed beard. His eyes were deep-set and intelligent, their color reminding Gorun of a noon sky. As he shook hands with the blond wizard, he added, "I'm Captain Bartholomew, but since you boys aren't soldiers, just call me 'Bart' to save time."

"Sure thing," Sting grinned as he released the man's hand.

"With all due respect, sir, I'll stick with 'Captain', if that's all right," Gorun said as he shook hands with the man. "After all, you are the ranking officer for this mission." As he felt the other man's grip with his own, he found himself appreciating the strength and solidarity he found in his hand- no doubt born from a lifetime of fighting in the military and sailing the seas that bordered the country he had sworn to defend.

"Whatever suits you, son," the captain replied with a smile as he released his grip. "You've both got fine handshakes, by the way. I'd like to think that makes you fighting men."

"That we are, sir," Gorun answered with a small smile of his own.

Turning to indicate the other officer, Bartholomew said, "This here is Commander Marcos. As fine a commanding officer as you can find in our navy, and he's performed well in his duty for years. But the king doesn't want to take any chances with one of our most heavily armed transports, so here I am."

"Hardly an inconvenience, sir," Marcos chuckled. Like his comrade, he was well-built, if advancing in his years a little. He had brown hair with matching eyes, but unlike his senior, he was clean-shaven. However, Gorun saw intelligence in his eyes, too, and not a hint of resentment for essentially having his command handed over to another officer, even if on a temporary basis.

 _Good, we won't have to worry about any infighting,_ Gorun thought with an internal sigh of relief.

"We're glad to have you both on board," Marcos was saying now. "We have several mages in our ranks from the magic council's custody enforcement unit, but…" Here he hesitated. "Well, to be honest…"

"They're not packing much heat, so we're the bigger guns just in case the bad guys have any toys you might not be expecting," Sting finished for him.

"To put it crudely, yes," Bartholomew said, though there was a twinkle of amusement in his eye. "They aren't exactly happy about the situation, but I've ordered them to give you and your teammates a wide berth while on the ship. Their resentment hardly makes sense to me, to be honest- the people they work for are the ones who sent out a request to your guilds."

"Just because the boss makes a decision, it doesn't mean everyone is on board with it," Sting shrugged. "As a new guild master, I've already learned that one a few times."

"True enough," the captain nodded.

"Are you sure that they'll follow your orders, sir?" Gorun asked with a slight frown. "Don't they answer to someone else?"

"During this mission, all authority has been given to me by both the crown and the magic council to issue orders that I see fit in order to ensure the safety of this vessel, and more importantly, the survival of her crew," Bartholomew answered. "Everyone on this ship that serves the military or the enforcement unit will obey my orders, or be court-marshalled."

"Translation: the council guys will leave us alone if they know what's good for 'em," Sting snickered.

"That may be, and I am aware that you only answer to your guilds' code of honor, but as one leader to another, please do not instigate anything… unruly… during your stay on our ship," the captain requested.

"My team will behave themselves, I guarantee it," Gorun promised.

"You might get a pink flying frog getting lost a few times while we're here, but I'll keep my guys out of trouble, too," Sting nodded.

"A pink, flying… what?" Marcos asked, looking bewildered.

"Don't mind it, sir," Gorun said, shooting Sting a glare, who affected to look innocent. "Is there anything we need to know about the ship while on board?

"You're welcome to use the deck, lavatories, and mess hall at your discretion," Bartholomew told them. "You and your teammates may visit the bridge if there is an emergency, but otherwise, we ask that you stay in the places we've listed, as well as your cabins."

"I'd also ask that you not pester my men while they are performing their duties," Marcos added. "They are soldiers, not tour guides, and their jobs are what allow this ship to sail and fight efficiently."

"We understand, sir," Gorun nodded. "Hopefully we'll all see a bit of good luck, and this incident will be nothing more than the work of some ragtag pirates that our guilds can take care of without much trouble."

At that, both Marcos and Bartholomew frowned heavily. The captain then asked, "You are aware that the first ship to go missing in these waters was a military vessel, much like this one?"

Gorun and Sting exchanged a surprised glance- their briefing had said nothing of the sort. However, all the kai-saiyan hybrid said was, "Well… Perhaps they're very lucky pirates?" When both of the officers gave him disapproving looks, he sighed and muttered, "Not helping, I know. Apologies, officers."

"Just make sure we all get to our destination safely," Bartholomew sighed. "If I don't live to make it home for my daughter's sweet sixteen, my wife will kill me."

"We'll see every man on this ship home safely, sir," Sting assured him. "Guild's honor."

"Mine too," Gorun added hurriedly. "Fairy Tail wizards excel at destruction- whoever attacks this ship will be very sorry indeed."

* * *

"You know, it's a real good thing those magic council guys at least know how to enchant a ship to keep anyone that's on it from getting motion sickness," Gorun said as he sat on the railing of the _Hydrangea's_ starboard side. "Otherwise you two would be feeding the fishes for miles."

Rogue and Sting glared up at him, but he just gave them a cheeky grin in response. It had been smooth sailing for three days, and they were nearly halfway to their destination. The danger zone was supposed to come up the next day, but for now, Gorun saw no reason not enjoy a clear day out on the open sea. Taunting the dragon slayers was just an added bonus, he decided.

"Is he this mean to his own guild mates?" Sting asked Romeo, who was leaning out over the railing to enjoy a fresh ocean breeze.

"Sometimes to Gray and Natsu," the fire mage replied. "He also picked a fight with Cana at one point. Pretty sure Juvia hates him, too."

"Regular lady killer, aren't you?" Sting smirked up at Gorun, who sneered back at him.

"Okay, first of all, Cana picked a fight with me," he protested. "Second, she and I are cool now. Third… Okay, yeah, I guess Juvia hating me might be justified. Even if she's a little crazy."

"…You know she can probably hear you, right?" Rogue asked as he jerked a thumb at Azura, who was a few yards away from them, talking to Yukino and Kinana.

"Wha-?" Gorun asked, then smacked himself on the forehead. "No, you idiot! That's my cousin, Azura! Weren't you paying any attention when I made the introductions?"

"Not really," Rogue admitted. "The kid mentioned that she hated you, though, so I thought… Well, to be fair, she is a blue-haired, blue-eyed wizard."

"Oh, and we all just look alike, do we?!" Azura shouted over her shoulder.

Rogue and Sting appeared startled, but she made no hostile moves, and went back to her conversation with the other girls. "Uh…" Sting muttered, looking to Gorun for an explanation.

"She and I both have sensitive hearing," he smirked. "So yeah, she can hear us."

"Right, good to know," the White Dragon Slayer scowled. "Any other surprises I should know about?"

"Well, I learned a new transformation since the dragons invaded," Gorun replied. "It allows me to harness god energies in addition to my other powers."

"You're joking," Rogue deadpanned.

"No joke," Romeo chuckled as he turned to face the Twin Dragons directly. "His cousin can do it too, but she needs help to transform like that. Gorun can do it on his own cos he's a…" He glanced at his leader, winked, then finished, "special case."

"Right…" Sting said uncomfortably.

Sensing that it would be better to change the subject, Gorun dropped to the deck and said, "In case you've been wondering, Yukino has been doing very well in Fairy Tail. She's happy, from what I can tell. She's even gotten her own nickname since joining us."

"What's this?" Rogue inquired.

"People are calling her the 'Snow Fairy'," Romeo told them. "Sorcerer Weekly came up with that title a couple of weeks ago."

"Yeah, I'd heard about that," the blond slayer nodded as he looked over to see the subject of discussion laughing at something that Kinana was telling her. "Not gonna lie, it sucks seeing her not being a part of Sabertooth, but I am glad that she's happy where she is. Besides, I can't really talk- I wasn't very sympathetic when she was kicked out."

"None of us were helpful like we should have been," Rogue said as he laid a hand on Sting's shoulder. "It wasn't just your fault- you _know_ that, Sting."

"Doesn't make it any easier- or better, for that matter," his guild master sighed.

"What you're doing with your guild now does make it better," Gorun insisted. "I'm glad to hear that your guild is different than how Jiemma made it. That wasn't a real guild- just a group of loners that had no clue about how to treat each other."

"Some people might say the same thing about our guild," Romeo grinned crookedly.

"Different context," Gorun chuckled. "Point is, a real guild is a family- and from what I've heard, Sabertooth is looking a lot more like one of those lately."

"We've had a good example to follow," Sting replied. "Seriously- thanks for knocking some sense into us during the games."

"Our pleasure," the saiyan boy nodded.

"That doesn't mean that we're gonna hold back next year, though," the blond slayer smirked challengingly.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

"So, I've been meaning to talk to the both of you," Kinana said as she and the girls made their way to the portside of the craft, away from the boys. "Gorun and I discussed this over dinner last night, and we've both decided to go with three people each for our wedding parties." Stopping against the railing, she turned around to face them both as she said, "Yukino, I would like it if you were to be my Maid of Honor. And Azura, I know we aren't very close, but I was hoping you would be one of my bridesmaids."

"Of course!" Yukino exclaimed delightedly. "I would be honored!"

"What am I expected to do if I say yes?" Azura asked dubiously.

"Mostly keep people from bothering me the day of the wedding," Kinana replied with a knowing smile. "Other than that, look pretty, and smile for maybe twenty minutes during the ceremony?"

"I'll give you ten minutes at the most," the blue-haired girl offered.

"Promise to make it twenty, and I will see to it that there will be someone you can at least spar with during the after party," Kinana countered.

"Deal," Azura said as she shook hands with the bride-to-be.

"Who will you ask to be your other bridesmaid?" Yukino asked excitedly.

"Laki," Kinana answered. "She and I became friends while everyone was stuck on Tenrou Island. We're not _best_ friends, but I still count her among my closer friends in the guild."

"Are you sure you don't want her as your Maid of Honor?" Yukino asked, suddenly feeling a wave of insecurity wash over her. "After all, you two have more history together, and we've only known each other-"

"Yukino," Kinana said gently, yet firmly. "I want you to be by my side at my wedding. You're one of my teammates, I trust you with my life. Gorun has often told me 'time matters not'. When he first said it, I didn't really get what he was trying to tell me, so eventually he explained that even though he had known some people from his past life for years, he never really felt a connection with them. He never opened up to them. But when he met me, he felt as though he was drawn to be near me, to be a part of my life, even though we were strangers."

Placing a hand on Yukino's shoulder, Kinana went on to say, "I felt the same way about him. It's why I chose to accept his training, even though I've never been one to enjoy fighting. It was because I felt like I was meant to be at his side. And the only other time I've ever felt that was when I met you, Yukino." The silver-haired girl's eyes widened, but Kinana wasn't finished. "You were part of a guild that had mocked and belittled my home for years, but in spite of that, I was able to see you for who you really are- a sweet, kind girl who just needed a home, like I did. And Gorun and I knew that home was on our team in Fairy Tail."

"You both… felt the same way about me?" the celestial mage whispered.

"We did," Kinana confirmed. "And now, just as surely as I knew that you were meant to be a part of our own little family, I know that it's you who is going to stand by my side the day that I join my life with Gorun's."

Yukino's eyes filled with tears, and she found herself hugging the purple-haired girl before she knew what she was doing. "Thank you," she mumbled. "I've never said it enough, but… thank you, Kinana. For being so kind to me…" Kinana simply smiled and returned the embrace, glad that the other girl knew she was loved and had a place to belong.

Next to them, Azura mimicked a very loud, very obnoxious snore.

* * *

Fairies and Tigers arose early the next morning by an unspoken agreement.

 _Today is the danger zone_ , Gorun thought as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. Swinging his legs out from his bed, he reached up and tapped Romeo on the side to wake him up. When he heard a muffled grunt, he grinned and said, "I'm going to wash up, and if you're not out by the time I get back, I'm pulling you down from there."

Romeo's response was to hit Gorun's head with his pillow before yanking the blankets back over himself and turning so that his back was to the door. The saiyan also thought he heard some colorful words being tossed his way, but the sounds were muffled, so he couldn't really tell.

Chuckling to himself, Gorun went and moved to the washroom, where he shaved the stubble growing on his face and tied his hair back into place. _Hmm…_ he thought as he peered at the lengthy strands. _I wonder if Kinana will want me to cut it for the wedding…?_ Then he shrugged and walked away from the mirror, his grooming complete. _No sense worrying about it right now._

He threw Romeo's pillow back at him on his way out of their cabin, just as the boy was starting to sit up. It hit him hard enough that his head smacked the wall, and he wound up falling out of the bed from the rebound force. When his voice reached Gorun on his way out of the room, the older wizard knew _exactly_ what his comrade was saying about him. "I know your father," he taunted the fire wizard before closing the door behind him.

"Do I _want_ to know?" Kinana asked from right behind her fiancé.

"Romeo is like any teenage boy," Gorun shrugged. "He likes staying up late, eating bad food, and sleeping way more than any human should get away with."

"Speaking from experience?" she teased him as they intertwined hands and began to walk down the hall that would lead them out into fresh air.

"Are you kidding me?" Gorun snorted. "If the sunlight ever hit the city before Azura and I were up, we'd wake up to the Prince of all Saiyans aiming a Gallick Gun at our heads! Try sleeping in after you've seen that!"

"So you're a morning person," she giggled.

"Not by choice," the young man admitted. "But yeah, once you've had the fear of a Super Saiyan god instilled in you, disobedience becomes kind of like an imaginary friend- always fun when you're a kid, but as you get older, it just seems so…"

"Pointless?" Kinana guessed.

"Silly," Gorun said with a negative shake of his head. "It's very, _very_ silly to think that one can disobey Prince Vegeta while training under him."

"Did Goku never teach you?" she asked. "I thought you mentioned a few lessons with him."

"He got us on weekends and holidays," her fiancé replied. "He was just as relentless, though. He was nicer, yeah, but in his eyes, time spent sleeping was time you could be spending training. Or eating…" He rubbed his stomach unconsciously, and Kinana laughed at the motion.

"Come on," she said. "Azura and Yukino are already down at the mess hall. I asked them to get us some food if they could."

"You let _Azura_ get my food?" he asked dubiously. "Honey, if you want me dead that badly before the wedding, please use a Kikoho- it'll hurt less than whatever poison my cousin puts in my food!"

"I asked Yukino to get it, don't worry," she said, shoving him lightly. "Ye of little faith."

He was about to come back with a witty retort, but before he could use it, one of the doors in the hallway opened up to usher in two dragon slayers and their exceed partners. "Mornin'," Sting said as he waved to the couple. "We were about to get some grub. You guys headed that way?"

"Yeah," Gorun nodded, his friendly argument with Kinana already forgotten. "There's a few things I wanted to talk to you about, actually."

"If it's about the mission, wait until we've had breakfast," Sting muttered. "None of us can think on an empty stomach."

"Frankly, the fact that we don't constantly have empty stomachs while on a vehicle is still amazing to me," Rogue added.

"All right, but we better talk strategy soon," Gorun sighed. "Today's the day that we're supposed to pass through where the ships go missing."

* * *

Once everyone had filled their bellies and Romeo had joined them, Gorun leaned forward and said, "Okay, we've had a half-week to think about this. Any thoughts as to who our mystery attackers are, and how we can stop them?"

"There's usually a fog bank that can be seen from the shore whenever one of the ships disappears," Yukino answered. "But there's never an outright storm."

"Probably a magician, or a group of mages, that are messing with the weather to hide what's really going on," Romeo said before biting into an apple. "And fog wouldn't be that hard to create. Even a fire mage could make enough steam if he hit the water with enough power to be mistaken for fog."

"That would take a pretty strong mage to do it alone," Sting pointed out. "However they're doing it, I would imagine there's a strong chance that we're gonna be up against some decent spell casters."

"Merchants often hire wizards to protect their wares," Kinana pointed out. "It's possible that we're looking at a network of pirates that get themselves hired under the guise of legal guild members, then ambush the victims when they get to this area, where their comrades are lying in wait to get them out, along with the goods."

"Mmm…" Gorun mused before shaking his head negatively. "Possible, but very unlikely. It's pretty hard to pass as a member of a guild you're not really associated with for very long. Not to mention, people would catch on pretty quickly if a crew was 'protecting' ships that suddenly went missing. You could pull it off two, maybe three times if you're lucky."

"Also, there's the pattern of attack to consider here," Rogue added quietly.

"Huh?" Sting asked, looking askance at his partner. "What 'pattern' are you talking about? There is no pattern. Every ship that comes through here vanishes."

"Exactly," Azura nodded, glancing at Rogue for a brief second. "Every single ship goes missing in this area? That doesn't strike any of you as odd?"

"Why would it?" Romeo asked. "There's valuable stuff to take from the ships. Makes sense to me that pirates would hit however many they could."

"You're ignoring the fact that the first vessel to vanish was a _military_ ship," Azura huffed, exasperated. "As in, a ship with lots of cannons and highly trained soldiers? Only a fool or a very powerful, very clever group of people would even attempt a heist with that kind of firepower ready to combat them. And seeing as the ships keep disappearing…"

"She's right," Gorun nodded. "This isn't the work of your average pirate. Those guys tend to get a feel for which ships are going to have the most lucrative payload. No sense in wasting energy on a fishing boat, or a transfer of raw materials- there's no money on hand with those vessels."

"Yet _every_ time a ship comes near this place, poof!" Azura muttered as she clicked her fingers. "Gone. It doesn't make sense."

"Could be a scare tactic," Gorun said after a quiet moment.

"Terrorism?" Rogue asked, looking doubtful.

"Why not?" the saiyan youth replied. "What better way to frighten citizens than to show that their war vessels, material goods, even a mode of transportation, is no longer safe?"

"Who would do something like that?" Yukino asked. "Fiore has no open hostilities with any of its neighbors."

"Key word there being 'open'," Azura smirked. Looking up at Gorun, she asked, "Any ideas on that front?"

"The only one that comes to mind is the Alvarez Empire, but they've been quiet for almost a decade," he answered. When everyone else gave him blank looks, he added, "They're a nation across the sea that tried to invade us a few years ago. Magic Council fired the etherion at their fleet as a warning, told them that the next shot would level their capital, if not their entire country. Turned tail and ran- we haven't heard from them in years."

"Could this be a dark guild at work?" Sting guessed. "Some rebel sect that isn't happy with the new council?"

"Since when have the wizard guilds of our country ever been happy with the council?" Yukino pointed out.

"Could still be a motive," Sting argued.

"I think that if the people responsible for this were smart enough to capture or sink passing ships with one-hundred percent accuracy, they would find a more direct way to attack the council, should that be their goal," Azura said as a counterpoint. "I'm more likely to believe that this is a terrorist attack from an outside force than some petty anarchy."

"Okay, say it is terrorism," Rogue sighed. "That still leaves the question as to who is behind this."

"Veronica?" Kinana suggested. "They can't be too happy about how things turned out at their celebration."

"This was happening before the phoenix became a problem," Yukino pointed out. "There are other kingdoms in Ishgar, but none of them have a reason to potentially trigger a war."

"Fiore _is_ pretty fortunate with its wizarding population," Lector, Sting's exceed said through a mouthful of fish. "We could crush just about anybody that'd be stupid enough to pick a fight with us."

"Cat makes a good point," Azura muttered. "Based on what you've all told me, none of the other countries are in a hurry to pick a fight with this place."

"Back to square one," Rogue growled.

"Scary square," Frosch said, shaking in his pink frog costume.

"Don't worry, pal," Rogue said gently as he cradled his exceed. "We'll be okay. If we're lucky, it'll just be some stupid pirates that have been very lucky so far."

"And at best, it'll be some wizards who can last more than a few seconds against me," Azura said with a confident smirk as she popped her neck.

* * *

It was a couple of hours after dawn when the fog roiled in before them, causing the ship's ranking officers to summon Sting and Gorun up to the bridge. "There's that damned fog, just like intel said it would be," Bartholomew muttered into his hand as they all gazed at the mist from inside the command center.

"Here I was hoping for some good luck," Marcos added.

"Well, you hired us, so we won't need any luck," Sting said cockily.

Gorun shot him a baleful look before turning to the captain and asking, "Do you want to plot a course around it, sir?"

"Can't do that, there's a storm rolling in from sea," Marcos answered. "We either go through that fog and fight whatever's in there, or we sit here and wait out the weather, in which case, the fog still might not go away."

"Not to mention we got boys at the border counting on our cargo," Bartholomew pointed out. "We could be delayed for a few days and it wouldn't hurt our men, but that also increases the chances of something happening to the ship and her crew."

Gorun nodded in agreement- he had expected as much, but it didn't hurt to ask. "Then what would you like us to do?" he inquired.

"Keep your heads on a swivel, and whenever someone or something rears its ugly head, use that magic that made you famous across Fiore to blast it to dust," Bartholomew ordered. "I won't see my men taken by some monster or pirates at that, understand?"

"Yes sir!" Sting and Gorun replied.

"So what _is_ our game plan?" the White Dragon Slayer asked as soon as they had gathered their teams. "Cos I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of sailing into weather like that, knowing we're supposed to become fish food or slaves."

"We're not going to be fish food," Gorun sighed, exasperated. "Azura, I need you to fly ahead, do reconnaissance. If something goes wrong, just raise your power level as high as you can go, and I'll be there to back you up via instant transmission."

"You're sending her out there, alone?" Rogue frowned. "That seems a little risky, doesn't it?"

"I'll be fine on my own," Azura snorted. "Besides, I don't recall anyone but Kaidon and Kinana being able to fly, and he's not going to risk sending her into unknown danger."

"She has a point," Gorun shrugged.

"Uh, hey!" Lector snapped as he leaped up, sprouting his wings so that he could hover in front of Azura with his arms folded. "You think these are just for show? We're how the Twin Dragons get around so fast, toots!"

"…You have exactly five seconds to rephrase that," Azura said, her power level rising rapidly. "One. Two."

"Azura!" Gorun snapped, his eyes flashing red for a second. "Get out there, do your job. This'll be just like Namek."

"Which time on Namek?" she asked, never taking her piercing glare off of Lector, who looked decidedly rattled now.

"The one where Ginyu accidentally ended up in Gohan's body, and we had to go find him," he answered.

"Oh yeah," she said with a wolfish smile. "That was a great day."

"Then you and I remember that mission very differently," Gorun deadpanned. "Scout. Go. Now."

Azura sneered at him once more, then took flight, vanishing into the approaching mist faster than a magic bullet. Rogue frowned at her departure before saying, "Despite all of her posturing, she should have had company."

"I trust my cousin's battle instincts," Gorun replied. "It may pain me to say it, but she's probably the better fighter between the two of us. I'm just naturally more powerful." When Sting raised an eyebrow at him, the long-haired young man said, "My point is, she'll be fine going solo."

"That still doesn't explain why you didn't want us going with her," Rogue muttered.

"Sting and Rogue, there's a little something I need to show you as a sort of failsafe," Gorun told them. "Kinana is going to go to the bow of the ship to see if she can sense any energy that's out of the ordinary. Romeo, I need you to go up to the lookout's nest and keep checking things out on our sides as much as you can. Yukino, I want you at the back, see if anything is trying to sneak up on us once we get inside the fog."

"You got it," Romeo said as he dashed off to do as he was told.

"I'll keep Ophiuchus on standby, just in case," Yukino added as she patted her keys and walked away.

"Good luck," Kinana said before she kissed him on the shoulder and walked away.

"Frosch, Lector, would you mind doing me a favor?" Gorun asked the two exceeds.

"Depends," Lector shrugged, resuming his cool, aloof attitude. "Whatcha need?"

"I need you to go and keep an eye out with Yukino and help her fly if things get dicey," the saiyan told him. Turning to the green exceed, he added, "Frosch, I hope you don't mind doing the same with Romeo?"

"But what about Rogue?" the pink-suited creature asked unblinkingly. "He might get lonely without me."

"I'll be fine, pal," the Shadow Dragon Slayer assured his furry friend. "Go on, help the little guy out. He can't fly on his own, but I can turn into a shadow to get out of trouble if I need to, okay?"

"Okay!" Frosch said happily. With that, he took off on glowing wings.

Lector sighed and went after his friend, saying, "I better make sure he doesn't get lost going up to the lookout."

Once they were gone, Gorun turned to the Twin Dragons, both of whom had looks of expectation mixed with annoyance. "What?" he asked.

"Any reason you wanted it to be just the two of us?" Sting inquired.

"Yes, because I don't want Lector and Frosch getting any funny ideas about what we're about to attempt, and wind up hurting themselves in the process," Gorun answered. "This is one of the most dangerous techniques I know, and I hope you realize that I'm taking a huge leap of faith in the fact that Yukino has vouched for you."

"What are you talking about?" Rogue demanded. "Stop talking in riddles and tell us clearly just what it is you intend for us to do."

"You're going to dance," Gorun deadpanned.

Sting and Rogue were silent for several seconds before Sting said, "We're about to go into what is probably a death trap, and you want us to learn the waltz?"

"Do not mock me right now, Sting, this is deadly serious," Gorun snapped, for a moment unsettling the two mages with his resemblance to Azura's cold disposition. "What I'm going to teach you could change the way that this world's timeline flows entirely. I would prefer it if you never share this technique with anyone, should we prove successful."

"What technique?" Sting asked. Then his eyes lit up as he asked, "Are you gonna teach us how to use your Saiyan Soul takeover spell?"

"…No."

* * *

They entered the fog two hours later. Azura had returned after forty-five minutes, saying that she had flown clear to the other side of the strange weather and back, unmolested. Despite this, Captain Bartholomew ordered his soldiers to their battle stations while the wizards maintained a sharp vigilance. Well, all of them except Gorun, Sting, and Rogue, who were nowhere to be found, much to Azura's frustration, but all she could get out of Kinana was that 'they would be back before the fun started'.

As the dark mist washed over the ship, an unnatural quiet pervaded the area. The men fell all but silent, and the wizards on boards kept their combat spells ready for instant use at the slightest provocation.

Azura was scowling at the bow of the ship, alongside Kinana, who had a look of calm about her. "Where is that numbskull?" the blue-haired woman muttered. "Some leader, missing before the battle is about to start."

"You said it yourself, you weren't attacked on your way through here," Kinana reminded her. "Maybe this really is just a bad bit of weather, and we'll be through here without any trouble."

"And I'm next in line to be goddess of destruction," Azura snorted. "I'm a small figure flying through the air- a lot harder to spot than a great big battleship with all of its lights on and guns for days. Not to mention I didn't touch the water except for a few ki blasts that turned up nothing."

"Not even an angry shark?" Kinana grinned.

"No," Azura snapped. "How are you so calm and collected? You're no Super Saiyan, and Kaidon isn't here to protect you."

"But you're here," the former barmaid replied. "And I know you won't let anything bad happen to any of us. Besides, Gorun won't be long now."

"Why do you call him that?" the bluenette grunted in an effort to change the subject.

"What, Gorun?"

"I heard you call him by his birth name when he gave you that ring," Azura said as she pointed at the ruby resting on Kinana's finger. "Why are you still using his human name?"

"Because is he _is_ human, maybe more than he is saiyan," she replied. "Besides, I met him as Gorun, and to me, Gorun is all he needs to be."

"But he _is_ Kaidon," Azura insisted. "You know he still resents our heritage in his heart, especially when he all but refuses to acknowledge the name granted to him by Vegeta."

"To be fair, there is a lot of baggage that comes with that lineage," Kinana countered. "Yes, many of your ancestors were and are great, honorable men. But there are a lot more that were nothing more than space brigands. And whenever you call him 'Kaidon', it just makes him feel as though he's carrying on a legacy that he wishes was long gone."

"Saiyans are different now than they were in the days during Frieza and King Cold's reign," Azura snorted. "We now fight for others' sake, not to conquer planets."

"Really?" Kinana said with a soft smile. "Because it seems to me that if you're considered a typical saiyan, you're still only in it for yourselves. The only thing that's changed is that instead of hunting for ripe planets, you're hunting for a thrilling fight that's even better than the last."

"Now listen here, you-!"

"Genora!" The blue-haired girl froze in mid-step as the sound of Gorun's voice sliced through the air like a sword through butter. She turned to see him, flanked by Sting and Rogue, with a scowl on his face. "I'll ask that you remember that she is my future wife, and that any insult or threat made against her is one that I will take personally," he said in a low tone.

Azura visibly relaxed before laughing softly to herself. Turning away from Kinana, she said, "See why I still call him Kaidon?" Then she walked away, a dark look in her eye.

"Shouldn't you go talk to her?" Rogue asked.

"I will make amends with her later," Gorun said stiffly. "In the meantime, I'll ask you not to pry into my family matters, Mister Cheney."

"Hmph," the dark-haired wizard scoffed as he walked off, presumably to follow Azura.

"Stay by his side," Gorun said in a tired voice to Sting. "Or at least, stay close enough to him to use it, should we run into more trouble than we bargained for."

"I dunno," Sting chuckled. "I think we bargained for quite a bit of that." Then he was gone, swallowed up by the fog just a few steps away.

Sighing heavily, Gorun turned to stand by his fiancée, asking, "Anything out of the ordinary so far?"

"Just your continued hostility toward your cousin," she answered evenly.

The remark was so casual, so unlike Kinana, that it took Gorun a few seconds to comprehend what she meant by it. "My host-? What?!"

Letting out a sigh of her own, Kinana turned to look her love in the eye and say, "You are an amazing, wonderful man, Gorun. But for all your talk about trying to make peace with Azura, I have yet to see much in the way of action."

"I had her present for the proposal and made her a part of the team," he sputtered. "I even gave my salary over to her! How have I not tried?!"

"All of those things are nice gestures, if you ignore the fact that you and she are related," Kinana said gently, taking his hands in hers. "You have an obligation to assist family, Gorun. That doesn't make what you've done any less honorable, but you have yet to go beyond what is expected of you when it comes to her. You won't get through to her by constantly rejecting the name that she knows you by, much less telling her to shut up every other day, or throwing her in the water unprovoked, or… Look, the list can go on, but my point is, you aren't trying where it really matters."

"Kinana, you know that for the most part, I have always hated my name and its ties," Gorun told her. "But she-"

"Gorun, look at it this way," she insisted. "You are here because you wanted to get away from the legacy of the Saiyans. She came here because- at least in her mind- she wanted to uphold what dignity there is in your family's line. Instead, she was shunned and cast out of her home, stranded with the only help being the very man that she believes tarnished the Saiyan race's honor in the first place. Can you even imagine how hard that must be for her?"

The young man opened and closed his mouth several times without actually saying anything before hanging his head and groaning, "Is this what it's going to be like when we're married?"

"How do you mean?" she asked him.

"You being irrefutably right about things that make me very uncomfortable?" he asked as he lifted his eyes to meet hers'.

"Since when have I not been?" she giggled before leaning into a hug from him.

* * *

"Azura?" Rogue inquired after the blue-haired saiyan girl.

"What?" she snapped angrily. Rounding suddenly on him, she demanded, "Did my cousin send his new stooges to keep me in line, now? I've got news for you, skinny- I could sneeze on you, and it would scatter your atoms all across this fog."

"I don't doubt that," the young man replied calmly. "But I am no one's stooge, and Gorun didn't ask me to come here. I simply wanted to see if you needed anything."

"I need to put a fist through Kaidon's smug face, but I doubt he's going to let me do that," she snorted. "And why do you care about what I want?"

"It's what any decent human being would ask," Rogue answered. "And better question- why do you call him 'Kaidon'?"

"That's his name," she snorted. "I assume that like all of his friends in the guild, you also know him as 'Son Gorun'?"

"Of course," Rogue nodded.

"Of course," she repeated mockingly. "Well, Rogue, where we come from, children are given two names at birth. One is our name known to the general world, in his case, Gorun. The second is a private one known only to one's family and closest friends."

"But if 'Kaidon' is supposed to be his private name…?" Rogue trailed off, confused.

"Why would I call him that in public?" Azura finished for him as she turned to lean over the rail. "Well, this isn't where we're from, much as Kaidon wishes he was. I call him by his true birth name to remind him that even if we spend the rest of our days here, there was another place and people that we once called home. It is so he does not forget where he comes from, who he is."

"Where we come from does not define who we are," Rogue said bluntly, causing her to look back at him with sharp eyes. "That is a lesson that your cousin taught Sting and I. Our past may give us a starting point and the tools to get through life, but it does not determine _what_ we will be." Shrugging slightly, he added, "Perhaps that's what your cousin is trying to teach you."

Azura scoffed and let her head hang over the water, almost seeming disappointed with him. Her next words furthered that thought. "I had heard tell of your Sabertooth guild," she told him. "I heard about how you held the position of this country's most powerful guild for nearly a decade before falling to the might of Fairy Tail. That you were a group of warriors to be feared across the land. The fact that you fell to such a group of bleeding hearts confused me at first after hearing about all of your accomplishments, but now I see what happened."

Rogue remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

She gripped the railing hard enough for the wood to groan before shoving herself off the side and turning to face the shadow wizard with fire in her blue eyes as she declared, "You became bleeding hearts yourselves, reducing you to the same level as the people you had for so long stood above."

"No," Rogue asserted, not even blinking in the face of her implacable anger. "We lost to Fairy Tail _because_ we did not find our hearts until it was too late for us to defeat them in the games. But it did not matter in the end, because we were able to stand strong alongside your guild when facing the threat of the dragons, and that twisted…" He looked as if he was going to say more, but then thought better of it. "I know what I would be if I denied myself a heart," he said instead. "I refuse to become that kind of man."

"Then you are no warrior," she scoffed. "You're simply a man with power and no will to use it properly."

"I'd rather be powerless than be heartless," he refuted, causing her to flinch just a little. "But I don't believe you are heartless, Azura."

"Your beliefs are not my concern," the girl scowled as she turned back to the railing.

"Be that as it may, you cannot truly understand the change that my guild has gone through, and how we are better for it unless you see what we were in comparison to who we are," Rogue said firmly. "And you, I see, are just as far from understanding it as Sting and I were only months ago. _That's_ why you're still weaker than your cousin, like it or not."

"Shut up," Azura growled.

"Fine, I won't take up-"

"No, seriously, shut up!" she hissed. "Right now!" She was rigid, her knuckles white as she gripped the groaning rail of the ship.

Seeing this, Rogue settled into a crouch, ready for the slightest hint of danger. "What is it?" he asked in a lowered tone. "Are we under attack?"

"I believe so," she said tightly as she moved to go back to where they had left Gorun and Kinana. "And when we've dealt with it, I'll have a few things to say to you about your smart mouth." With that, she was gone, leaving Rogue to wonder as to whether he was meant to follow.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you talk to a girl for that long before," Sting said as he stepped out from a thicker patch of the fog that had obscured a staircase.

"I talk to you all the time," Rogue replied as he followed the young woman.

"Hey!"

* * *

"You felt that, right?" Azura demanded as she stalked up toward Kinana and Gorun.

"I did, but I wish I hadn't," the other saiyan hybrid grumbled. "This makes things rather complicated."

"What're you talking about?" Sting asked as he and Rogue became visible again.

"Good news?" Gorun said with a wince. "We know what's been targeting ships out here."

"I'm guessing that's also the bad news," Rogue inferred.

"Yeah… and the captain probably isn't going to like it when we tell him that the Royal Navy ship that was the first to disappear in this area is closing in on our location," Gorun grimaced. That took a few seconds to sink in for Sting and Rogue, but when it did, their reactions were ones of disbelief.

"The crew went AWOL?" Sting asked dubiously. "Seriously? Now they're all pirates?"

"I kinda wish that were the case," Kinana said, her lovely face pale. "The fact is, the crew is all dead… apparently."

"Dead, what?" Sting asked, looking more confused than disbelieving now. "Did the men all get killed and now it's pirates using the military ship?"

"No, the original crew is still operating the thing," Gorun told them with a strained smile.

"…What?" Rogue asked slowly while Sting paled in silence.

"What my cousin is getting at is that the captain is _really_ not going to like it when we tell him that there is an entire warship full of undead troops coming to kill us," Azura told them.

"Undead?" Rogue repeated.

"As in, zombies?" Sting added.

"Yes," Azura deadpanned.

"H-How can you be sure?" Sting asked, swallowing nervously. "We haven't even seen anything yet."

"We've both sensed the energy of dead people before, back where we're from," Gorun told them. "And she and I can both tell that there is a big ship full of that type of energy headed our way, probably with weapons ready."

"I did not sign on for a zombie apocalypse," Sting said. "No way, uh-uh. Not doing it."

* * *

 **Mataras: Okay, that was a little different, but like I said before, I had a lot of fun with this chapter.**

 **Azura: I had fun watching Kaidon's fiancee finally give him a lecture that's been a long while coming. I was starting to wonder if she was there for any other reason besides looking pretty.**

 **Gorun: Hey! She's done a lot for the team in this story, don't go and try to take away value from that.**

 **Azura: Given that she's putting you in your place, I wouldn't dream of doing that. She has my respect.**

 **Gorun: Why am I the whipping dog?!**

 **Saiki: That tends to happen when you end up as the main character. No matter what you do, someone out there will criticize your every decision at any given point. You can't please everybody.**

 **Azura: You also don't have to be a self-righteous prick to get your point across.**

 **Saiki: Now you're just being a pain. I suppose I can see the family resemblance.**

 **Gorun/Azura: Hey!**

 **Mataras: This isn't going anywhere... I suppose I'll close things off by saying that the next chapter will be released on Halloween, and will definitely feature comedy, action, Super Saiyans, and of course, zombies.**

 **Gorun: Next time- The Dead Sea**

 **Azura: Since Mataras doesn't have anybody to profile for this chapter, he's got something a little different prepared for our readers, following the preview for the next chapter.**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"We need to obliterate that plague from existence," Azura asserted. "I know the captain said he wants to save these guys, but based on what I've heard of resurrections around here, only the body can be reanimated, not the soul."

"Well, there is one way to do that, but it costs hundreds of lives in exchange for a single life, and if that were the case, I really doubt that we'd be sensing the amount of soldiers that we did," Gorun pointed out. "For a crew that size, you'd need to kill off an entire nation's worth of people, by my estimate."

"And they would register as normal energy on our radar, since it'd be a true resurrection, not just someone living on borrowed time," Kinana added. "This is the work of a proper necromancer."

"Great…" Sting muttered, clearly dismayed by the news. "So how do we blow 'em up without putting the _Hydrangea_ and her crew in danger?"

"We go on the offensive," Gorun replied. Glancing at Kinana, then Azura, he added, "Unfortunately, that's not really my forte, so I'm going to defer to the resident expert on attack patterns." Here, he gave Azura a meaningful look.

She raised a single eyebrow before asking, "Really? You're going to trust me with this?"

"I am," he nodded. "You're the one who knows the attack strategies from home like the back of your hand. I usually get by on raw power and individual skill, not through meticulous planning."

"If you're trying to smooth things over between us, this will not cut it," she said flatly.

"Yeah, I figured," he shrugged. "But my point still stands."

Azura glanced around at the others, all of them watching her expectantly, before muttering, "All right, fine. Here's what we do…"

* * *

Time Patrol Interview, Hosted by the Supreme Kai of Time  
Feat. Lucy Heartfelia and Levy McGarden

S.K.T.: Hello, dear readers, and welcome to the Time Patrol's Guest Hour! I'm your host, the Supreme Kai of Time, leader of the Time Patrol, and guardian of the Book of Beginning to End! Here today with me are two new recruits from Universe 17, Lucy and Levy, formerly of the Fairy Tail guild in Earthland, and we're gonna be talking about their adjustment to life in the Time Patrol. How are you, ladies?

Lucy: All things considered, pretty good.

Levy: I'm just happy to be alive, and with Lu. Knowing that the past was repaired so that all of our friends can live happy lives was big relief for me, and I'm glad to be given the chance to repay the people that made that possible!

S.K.T.: We're glad to have the both of you, and I'm personally happy to see that you've adjusted so well in the last few months. Now, if I remember correctly, Levy, you've been placed as a mission coordinator as well as a part-time instructor at the academy, correct?

Levy: Yes ma'am!

S.K.T.: Do you mind telling the readers what exactly those jobs entail?

Levy: Not at all! As a coordinator, I receive information on the capabilities of a few dozen time patrollers, and whenever a mission comes up, it's up to me to put together a team capable of dealing with the temporal damage. I have to factor in their experience and power levels, as well as the type of danger that they'll be facing when they travel through time, before I send any of them out into the field. As for the teaching position, I've given a few lectures on linguistics to help people better blend in whenever they have to do a covert mission. I really enjoyed learning how to read and speak Namekian in particular, and according to Mister Dende, I have a knack for the language. From there, I decided to see if I could teach others the same skills, and I've really enjoyed it so far!

S.K.T.: And based on what I've heard from the other members of faculty, your students have really caught on to your enthusiasm. I don't think I've ever had a class so eager to learn since I set up that school!

Lucy: Levy's always been pretty gung-ho, and it's infectious.

S.K.T.: I can tell! But anyway, I had a couple of questions for you, Lucy.

Lucy: Fire away.

S.K.T.: How have you taken to doing field work, especially in other universes?

Lucy: It was really stressful and weird at first, but ever since I joined Fairy Tail, my entire life has depended on being able to adapt to the weird and unexpected. I guess I've gotten pretty used to the whole gimmick by now.

S.K.T.: Good to hear! The other question I had was, is it true that you've become a regular at the hero coliseum?

Lucy: Heck yeah! At first I thought those figure battles were gonna be kinda dumb, but they're surprisingly addicting!

Levy: She's really good at it, too! She placed in the top eight during the tournament last month!

S.K.T.: Really? That's really impressive, actually, considering that a lot of those competitors have been playing for a few years now.

Lucy: Yeah, well, most people see me, and they think, 'Oh look, it's the dumb blonde.' Jokes on them, though. As a celestial wizard, I have to make snap decisions all the time, keeping in mind how many spirits I can summon, what their compatibility will be with each other as well as their effectiveness against my opponents, plus how long I have to keep up the fight. It's a lot harder than some people think it is.

S.K.T.: Sounds like it! But out of curiosity, who did you lose to?

Lucy: The guy that took second, Bardock, I think.

Levy: Yeah, he was brutal! His attitude kinda reminds me of an iron-headed wizard that we knew back home, actually.

S.K.T.: Yes, Bardock is a pretty serious guy. ...Even when he plays games, apparently. I didn't even know that he played! You sure it was him?

Levy: Spiky black hair, scars on his face, red bandanna?

S.K.T.: Yeah, that's him... Huh.

Lucy: Next time I'll beat him for sure. Fairy Tail wizards never lose to the same guy more than once!

Levy: You said it!

S.K.T.: In that case, I think I'll have to check out the next tournament, see how this all turns out. But for now, we are out of time for this interview. Thanks so much for coming ladies, this was great!

Levy: Thanks for having us, boss!

Lucy: Yeah, thanks!

S.K.T.: Well, until the next one! Thanks for coming, and we'll see you all next time!


	26. The Dead Sea

**A/N: Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you've got your candy lined up from your outings, cos what's a good show without some snacks to enjoy with it?**

 **... Sorry, I'll stop.**

 **The response video for last chapter's reviews has just gone up, so if you left a review last time, be sure to check it out on my YouTube channel (link is in my bio page). The current story cover image will only be up until Thanksgiving weekend (during which I will release the next chapter for this story). If you like it, you can also check it out (along with other examples of my artwork) on my Instagram account, the_red_swordsman  
I will be releasing the image of Lisanna and Mirajane fused around the same time that this chapter goes up (yes, I know, that one has been a long time coming), although her appearance still won't be for a few months.**

 **Now, let's get on with the saga!**

* * *

 _Dread Waters Arc: Chapter 2_

The Dead Sea

"You're serious?" Captain Bartholomew asked dubiously.

Gorun opened his mouth to speak, but Azura elbowed him and growled, "If you say 'dead serious', I'm going to stab you in the eye."

"Er-hem," he coughed, glaring at his cousin for a second before addressing the commanding officer's question. "As I was going to say, I am sure," he told the experienced seaman. "Azura and I have both encountered the dead among the living before, and the energy we are both detecting is not that of someone who belongs in this world."

"Why'd it have to be zombies…?" Sting groaned. He was shaking badly, and the saiyan hybrids knew it wasn't motion sickness.

"Something wrong with him?" Marcos asked with a small frown.

"Nothing he won't get over in the next fifteen minutes, Commander," Gorun answered, shooting Sting a pointed look. "We have that long before we come within firing range of the other vessel, so I suggest we get your men ready for battle."

"How do we defeat something that's already dead?" Bartholomew demanded. "I've seen many a sea beast in my day, but undead soldiers? That's new waters."

"We vaporize them," Gorun and Azura said simultaneously. Glancing at one another, Gorun remembered his talk with Kinana only minutes prior, and inclined his head toward his relative. "Go ahead," he said, surprising her a little.

She frowned, no doubt wondering what his motive was, but turning back to the captain and commander to say, "We're not entirely sure what method was used to give these soldiers artificial life again, so normal kill techniques probably won't cut it. To be certain that they are gone, we may have to destroy them down to the last cell that makes up their bodies. Otherwise, it may be possible for whoever is doing this to simply resurrect them again."

"Is there no chance that we can save them?" Marcos asked warily. "I'd rather not fire on troops wearing the same uniform as my own men, especially if this is not of their own doing. If they were traitors, that might be one thing. But this…"

"We've tried to sense for the necromancer responsible for this, but whoever it is, they are somewhere far from here," Gorun answered. "They're not stupid enough to be close at hand when a real fight is about to break out. Conjurers like that are usually weak when it comes to doing their own fighting."

"Besides, the odds are more than likely that killing whoever brought them back would only end the spell placed on those cadavers," Azura added. "It would do nothing to restore the lives that have been taken."

"I think what these guys are trying to say," Sting interrupted, "is that whether or not we can save these undead soldiers, you need to get your crew ready for one hell of a fight. Keep the enemy ship from getting too close, and let us worry about the… zombies… aw, man…"

"We'll get the ship prepped for combat," Bartholomew told them, pointedly ignoring Sting's predicament. "Make sure you're all set to go when the enemy shows up."

"Keep it together, man," Gorun told Sting, a trifle annoyed as the dragon slayer started to tremble again while they walked off of the bridge.

"Sorry," the blond man muttered feebly. "Weisslogia used to tell me stories about zombie dragons when I was kid… scared the crap outta me every night."

"Well, these are zombie humans, so that's not as bad, right?" Gorun offered.

"Still zombies."

"Grow a pair already," Azura muttered as she stormed past the both of them.

"What's her deal?" Sting asked as he turned to Gorun, who sighed heavily and rubbed his brow as if exhausted.

"Trying to figure out how to make more progress," he mumbled.

* * *

"So what's the actual plan of attack?" Rogue asked once they had finished debriefing with the others. "Or were you just planning on charging at an entire warship full of undead soldiers, guns blazing?"

"Have you seen these guns?" Romeo grinned as he pointed at Gorun's bicep, which the older boy then flexed with a goofy smile. Everyone else rolled their eyes, although Yukino and Kinana couldn't hide their own smiles. Then the young fire mage added, "If I recall, he did a better job killing a dragon than either of you guys."

"What was that?" Sting asked warningly, but Rogue held him back.

"Unfortunately, the kid's right," the shadowy mage muttered. "That doesn't change the fact that we need a plan if we're going to disable that ship before it can target our vessel. We're wasting precious time as it is."

"We need to obliterate that plague from existence," Azura asserted. "I know the captain said he wants to save these guys, but based on what I've heard of resurrections around here, only the body can be reanimated, not the soul."

"Well, there is one way to do that, but it costs hundreds of lives in exchange for a single life, and if that were the case, I really doubt that we'd be sensing the amount of soldiers that we did," Gorun pointed out. "For a crew that size, you'd need to kill off an entire nation's worth of people, by my estimate."

"And they would register as normal energy on our radar, since it'd be a true resurrection, not just someone living on borrowed time," Kinana added. "This is the work of a proper necromancer."

"Great…" Sting muttered, clearly dismayed by the news. "So how do we blow 'em up without putting the _Hydrangea_ and her crew in danger?"

"We go on the offensive," Gorun replied. Glancing at Kinana, then Azura, he added, "Unfortunately, that's not really my forte, so I'm going to defer to the resident expert on attack patterns." Here, he gave Azura a meaningful look.

She raised a single eyebrow before asking, "Really? You're going to trust me with this?"

"I am," he nodded. "You're the one who knows the attack strategies from home like the back of your hand. I usually get by on raw power and individual skill, not through meticulous planning."

"If you're trying to smooth things over between us, this will not cut it," she said flatly.

"Yeah, I figured," he shrugged. "But my point still stands."

Azura glanced around at the others, all of them watching her expectantly, before muttering, "All right, fine. Here's what we do…"

* * *

"I take it back, I wanna make the plan," Gorun said as he and Azura shot across the water, mere inches from the ocean's surface.

"Too late, Kaidon," she grinned viciously. "Any longer and the _Hydrangea_ will be in range of this ship's cannons."

"How do zombies even know how to use weapons?" Romeo asked from under Gorun, the bigger boy keeping a tight hold on him as not to drop him into the unforgiving sea. "Aren't they just supposed to be all ' _Blagh! Me want brains!_ ' Right?"

"I've met specters before, not zombies," Gorun answered. "I honestly don't know."

"Then how do you tell them apart based on their energy signatures?" Yukino asked. She was being carried by Kinana while Sting and Rogue were flying with their exceeds' help.

"Zombies have a more convoluted energy signature," Azura answered. "Specters feel pretty similar to people that are alive, just, I dunno…"

"Feels more like an echo than the original sound, right?" Gorun offered.

"Yeah," his cousin agreed, though she still refused to look his way.

" _Are_ they gonna want our brains?" Sting inquired nervously.

"Give it a rest, Sting," Rogue told him.

"Both of you, stay focused," Azura ordered. "Remember, this ship won't have the field effect that suppresses your nausea, so it's up to your cats to keep you from puking anything other than breath attacks."

"Breath attacks are _not-_ "

"They kinda are," Romeo giggled. "You eat your element, then send it right back out, mixed with some of your own juice, right?"

Sting and Rogue glanced at each other, blanched, then muttered together, "We don't wanna talk about it."

"Thought so."

"Shut up!" Azura hissed as she pointed ahead of them in the fog. "We're nearly there. Split up and wait for my signal." With an extra burst of speed, she shot up into the mist, the rest of them quickly losing sight of her.

As soon as she was gone, Kinana asked Gorun in as low a tone as she could manage, "Why did you let her take the lead? I know from experience that you're more than capable of planning this kind of attack."

"This seemed like an appropriate time to try and give a little," he answered with a slight grin as he sped away from her and Yukino. His sensitive ears picked up on her soft laughter before he zoomed around to the stern of the battleship and he was no longer able to perceive her presence with any of his normal senses. He could still feel her energy, which helped him to quell his growing anxiety.

He wasn't really worried about himself or Azura, but as for the others who lacked their extensive training and frankly absurd power levels, he couldn't help but worry just a little.

However, there was no time to dwell on such thoughts as he and Romeo hovered just a few feet above the water, all but holding their breaths in an attempt to keep as quiet as possible. On the starboard and portside of the vessel, he knew that the other pairs would be getting into position.

"Hear anything yet?" Romeo asked in a hushed voice.

"I think I hear the sounds of their guns moving into position," Gorun replied in an equally quiet tone. _Azura, you had better be able to make good on your assurances._

* * *

The blue-haired Saiyan girl allowed herself to hover in the void of the mist, eyes closed, her breathing calm and even. It was as though she existed in a forever nothing, the only sensations registering with her mind being the sound of the waves below her and the slight breeze that stirred the soupy fog all around her.

She counted the seconds, having memorized the speed of the enemy vessel as it headed for the _Hydrangea_ a few miles behind her. She allowed herself a few more breaths to calm her racing heart and suppress her urge to act _now_ , instead of at the right time.

When she could feel the moment was ripe, she let out a yell that blasted the mist away from her body and disturbed the waters below her out of their normal patterns. Her hair shot upward and turned yellow before settling down somewhat while lightning danced across her body and she opened her emerald eyes to see dozens of magic cannon blasts headed her way, no doubt aimed to destroy Fiore's battleship.

"I don't _think so_!" she snarled. Her energy exploded, sending her rocketing toward the nearest missile at speeds too fast for the human eye to follow. In the span of three seconds she had either hit all of the magic projectiles hard enough to send them back at the enemy ship or neutralized them with her own bolts of etherion.

The returned fire slammed into the approaching ship with enough force to knock it slightly off-course and damage the engines. Just for good measure, she fired a Kamehameha at the rear of the vessel, where Marcos had informed her the engine room would be, crippling it.

" _Go_!" Azura roared, her voice reaching her companions where they lay waiting for her signal. She felt several bursts of energy from the Fairies and Tigers as they flew over the railing to land on the deck of the ship while she looked on with grim approval.

"You had all better do your jobs right," she muttered before the guns began to fire at the _Hydrangea_. Giving vent to another growl, the ascended Super Saiyan shot off to play interference again.

* * *

"This is just how I pictured a swarm of zombies to come at me!" Sting yelped as he unleashed a Holy Ray spell at a dozen undead men dressed in tattered uniforms as they ran at him and Rogue. "Actually, I take it back- I never expected them to move that fast!" For indeed, these monsters actually moved as fluidly as any man normally would, not in the jerky, stilted movements that old legends would have one believe. However, they did sport the pale gray-green flesh that he had expected, complete with exposed patches of muscle and unhealed blood vessels splashed across their bodies.

"So this is worse than you imagined?" Rogue muttered before unleashing a breath attack that tore a trio of the growling corpses asunder. He and Sting were both being carried by their exceeds mere inches above the deck of the ship as to avoid triggering their motion sickness.

"Not helping, man!" Sting yelped as one managed to get through his attack. In response, he lashed out with a White Dragon Talon, paralyzing the dead man long enough for him to axe kick the zombie through the deck and into the cargo space below, where a few disembodied grunts of complaint could be heard.

"Some fearless leader you are," the shadow dragon slayer chuckled.

"Shut up, Rogue!"

"Yeah, give the guy a break!" Lector added.

"I wanna go home…" Frosch whimpered.

"Soon, buddy," Rogue told him. "This won't take much longer, I promise."

"Okay…"

* * *

"Get some!" Romeo shouted as he torched a zombie headed his way, blood and spittle dribbling down its mouth before bright red flames consumed it and turned it to ash. "Yes!"

"That's new," Gorun commented as he bowled over a squadron of deckhands with a Double Sunday. "What does that fire do, exactly?" He was using the Kaioken at level five, a relatively small power-up for someone with his skillset, but he didn't want to use up too much of his energy just yet.

"Normally I don't break it out, cos I don't wanna kill someone on accident," Romeo explained as he lassoed a duo of the undead people with his purple flames to hold them back from Gorun so that his leader could focus on another trio that had charged out of one of the doors. "My red fire instantly burns up most things that it touches, which is why I have to be careful with what I target whenever I use it."

"Good to know," Gorun grunted as he brained one zombie with his etherion-covered hand while hitting the other two with a Tyrant Lance. Turning around, he beheaded the ones that Romeo had captured with a Kienzan, causing the younger wizard to wince at the sight of the limp bodies slumping to the deck, twitching randomly.

"Gross," the younger wizard muttered.

"Sorry, pal," his leader sighed. "I wish we didn't have to do this, either."

"It's okay," Romeo shrugged, though he still appeared uncomfortable. "Not every job can be so… heroic, right?"

"Unfortunately not."

* * *

"Kind of wishing Lucy was here right now," Yukino grimaced as she witnessed Libra crush another quartet of the undead soldiers with her gravity magic. "As Lucino, we probably wouldn't feel so bad about all of this."

"Well, I don't know about Lucino, but if this kind of job bothers you so much," Kinana said as she zapped an oncoming soldier with a Dodon Ray, "then I think it means you've got plenty of humanity left in you." Heaving a sigh of relief when the dead man stayed down, she added, "Don't let horrors like this make you lose sight of what's good in life."

"I'll try," the white-haired mage replied just before a series of loud booms announced the third attack on their allies' ship in as many minutes.

"C'mon," Kinana said as she grabbed Yukino's hand and led her toward the middle area of the ship. "We need to disable this ship's artillery next."

The goal was to take out all of the undead people on board, but salvage the ship if at all possible. It was, after all, one of Fiore's military vessels. Parts could be replaced, guns repaired, but it was a lot harder to make a ship from scratch.

* * *

Azura watched from afar as one by one, the weapons on the ship were disabled by a combination of small explosions, backfire, and disabling of the creatures manning them. By her estimate, they had managed to take out about a third of the undead forces on the ship. Powering back down to her base form, she headed toward the ship, intent on helping them to finish the job.

 _So far, so good,_ she thought to herself. _So why does it feel like something can still go horribly wrong…?_

She landed on the deck next to Kinana and Yukino, who were having trouble dealing with a couple dozen of the undead. It would have been easy enough for either of them to obliterate the zombies, but they risked doing critical damage to the vessel if they unleashed too much magic power. On the other hand, they would soon be overwhelmed by sheer numbers if someone didn't do something.

Extending her right hand out in front of her, Azura shouted, "Duck!" The other girls didn't bother questioning her- they hit the deck with all possible speed even as a blue energy blade sprang out of their ally's hand, sharper than any of Erza's weapons could hope to be. Whirling herself in a full three-sixty, Azura quickly cut the lot of them in half.

"That's better," she said as she cancelled out her spell, brushing her palms as though ridding them of dirt. Turning to her teammates, she asked, "I take it Kaidon and the others have already disabled the other guns?"

"If the explosions we heard earlier are anything to go by, yes, they've done their part," Kinana nodded as she got to her feet, Azura helping Yukino to stand while she did.

"Good," the blue-haired warrior nodded curtly. "Then we start sweeping the decks. Far as I can tell, we've still got about twice the number you've all already dealt with to go before this nightmare ship gets retired."

"Ugh…" Yukino gagged, though she managed to refrain from throwing up. "Wonderful."

"Sorry, but we need to be thorough," Azura shrugged.

"About that…" Kinana said, a strange warning note in her voice. "I think we're going to have to be even more thorough than we originally thought."

"What makes you say- holy mother of Shenron!" Azura's exasperation turned into a startled exclamation as they noticed that the top halves of the monsters she had cut apart were dragging themselves toward the girls.

"I think I can sympathize with Sting now," Yukino said in a trembling voice. "This is just awful!"

"Normally I pride myself on simply blasting my problems into dust, but even I'll admit, this is unnerving," Azura said as she began to vaporize the moving parts of the monsters with pinpoint control. Apparently even when rattled, she had excellent control over her powers.

* * *

"Crap, crap, _crap!_ " Sting yelped as he and Lector beat a hasty retreat, only to run into Rogue and Frosch.

"What are you doing?!" his partner demanded. "We're supposed to be standing guard at the bridge so we can keep an eye out for stragglers!"

"Remember how I put a bunch of holes in those undead freaks earlier?" Sting asked while looking over his shoulder nervously.

"What about it?"

"Apparently it didn't take," Lector answered.

"What-? Oh," Rogue scowled as a mass of the walking dead came running and shuffling around the corner. "So what does it take to kill them?"

"If I knew that, d'ya think I woulda come back here so I could listen to you be all judgmental?! Sting demanded angrily. "Throw me a bone!"

* * *

"Seems like the only ones that stay down are the guys we completely torched!" Romeo yelped as he leaped backwards to avoid being disemboweled by a growling zombie that was missing its left arm.

"Yeah, even when we take their heads off," Gorun growled as he vaporized a few of the monsters. _At least it's just the heads that remain active at that point_ , he thought to himself. Those were easier to deal with, seeing as they couldn't really move, but they were still annoying when they tried to bite at the wizards. _Whoever did this is one twisted son of Jenemba._

* * *

Gradually the wizards were all forced toward the middle deck from sheer numbers, whereupon Gorun met eyes with his cousin and said, "Holding back isn't working. These things are too difficult to kill when we're trying to avoid damaging the ship any more than it has been."

"I know, I know," she snarled. "Okay team, new plan. We're gonna waste all of 'em in one shot, to hell with the ship."

"Are you sure?" Sting grunted as he brained a zombie that got too close for his liking. "The navy isn't gonna like that."

"As far as they were concerned, this vessel was already lost to them weeks ago," Azura pointed out. "We'll just have to change the status from 'M.I.A.' to 'O.F.E.'"

"O- what?" Rogue asked, confused.

"Obliterated From Existence," Gorun answered heavily. "Much as I hate to admit it, she's right. We can't chance these things making it on board any other vessels that come through here, and we could spend days trying to search every nook and cranny on this ship, even with our ability to sense them."

"So then how do we do that?" Lector demanded. "Cos in case ya haven't noticed, we're totally surrounded on the ship that you wanna blow up!"

"Grab on!" Gorun ordered once Azura gave him a pointed look. No one questioned him, each member of the combined teams grabbing onto his arm or placing a hand on his back. He swiftly engaged instant transmission, and in the next second, they were all safely aboard the _Hydrangea_ once again, though several of them fell over as soon as their feet touched the deck.

"Well…" Sting grumbled as he got to his feet. "That sucked." Around them, soldiers were muttering among themselves at the disheveled state that the wizards seemed to be in.

"At least we disabled their weapons," Kinana pointed out.

"I didn't expect those things to be so resilient," Azura admitted begrudgingly as she got to her feet. "I suppose we should go inform the commanding officers of what must be done next."

"Can I offer a piece of advice?" Gorun asked as she turned away, ignoring the soldiers looking at them inquisitively.

"No matter what I say, you're going to give the advice, right?" she muttered, though she did turn around to face him with a guarded expression.

"Even the best laid plans can go wrong," he replied. "But the job we were hired to do states that we need to eliminate or negate the threat to ships in this area."

"Your point?" she snapped, low on patience.

"Better to ask forgiveness than permission," Gorun smirked. "We weren't able to negate the threat. So now we eliminate it."

"Kaidon, if we blow that ship up with as close as it is now, we might well sink the _Hydrangea_ from the waves we would generate," Azura snorted. "And we can't sink it because those things would probably just swim either over here or to the land and create another problem for us to deal with."

"Fortunately, we have another option," the black-haired saiyan hybrid said, his grin widening. Turning to Sting and Rogue, he said, "You two, get ready. Kinana, Yukino, and Romeo, I need you to tell the CO's on the bridge to change the _Hydrangea's_ course to point her stern directly at the enemy ship."

"What are you up to?" Azura asked him while Sting and Rogue shifted in place uncomfortably.

"I have a plan to destroy the enemy craft without harming this ship," Gorun told her. "Unless you have an idea yourself? It's your call."

She glared at him for a few seconds while the other girls left with Romeo to do as Gorun had asked. Then, her expression softened ever so slightly as she muttered, "What do you have?"

"You said you wanted to hit something the other day," Gorun said with a devilish grin. "Will a battleship do?"

"…Ah."

* * *

"He wants us to do what?" Bartholomew asked disbelievingly. "We need to keep our guns facing the enemy, not turning tail and running."

"I won't put my men in unnecessary danger," Marcos said with an adamant shake of his head. "I would rather we keep these monstrosities in our sight while we pass them by than allow them a chance to get on board and kill us, like they have so many already."

"Sir, with all due respect, our mission is to get rid of this threat, and we stand the best chance of doing that with your help," Kinana said tightly.

"Need I remind you that you were hired to protect this ship and her crew?" Marcos shot back. "Not to mention that ship is still the property of the Fiore military, and we cannot in good conscience aid in its total destruction."

"Actually sir, we weren't hired to protect you," Romeo answered defiantly, drawing surprised looks from the two commanding officers. "The Magic Council wants this threat dealt with, not identified and then passed on to someone else. So you better believe that if they've ordered something to be blown up, there's no one better than the Fairies and Tigers to do it. And we _will_ do it, with or without your help. We just thought you might appreciate not having this ship getting damaged in the process."

"Is that a threat, young man?" Marcos demanded sternly.

"No," he said with fire in his eyes. "We will get you and all of these men home safely, but the Hydrangea will be another matter, depending on your own choices. We're just here to let you know that if you _don't_ get away from the upcoming fireworks, this ship is going to need extensive repairs."

"If you were a soldier, you'd be thrown in the brig and stripped of your rank for that kind of insolence," Bartholomew said gravely.

"Good thing I'm not a soldier, then," Romeo smirked. "I'm a Fairy Tail wizard- and we don't do well with people outside our guild trying to pull rank on us." Turning on his heel, he said over his shoulder, "Turn the boat or don't. I'm done trying to convince you to do the right thing."

Yukino and Kinana glanced at each other, then at the officers, shrugged wordlessly, and followed the young man off the bridge, leaving behind a pair of flabbergasted men. As soon as they caught up to him, Kinana said in a low tone to Romeo, "That was very gutsy. I'm impressed."

"It's like Gorun said," Romeo chuckled. "After you've helped to slay an immortal phoenix, just about everything else seems like a cakewalk."

"Even dating?" Yukino giggled, causing Romeo to nearly trip over his own feet.

"I said 'just about everything'," the boy grumbled. "Not _everything_ , everything."

* * *

They rejoined with the others moments later, Gorun having just finished explaining his plan to Sting and Rogue. "Everyone clear on their parts?" he asked. They had found a part of the deck unoccupied by any of the men that were standing ready for an attack, but they spoke in lowered tones to avoid arousing suspicion, just in case.

"We're pretty much on standby from here on out," Romeo shrugged. "By the way, I don't think that they're going to turn the ship like we want them to."

"Huh, I thought that they'd be more cooperative than that," his leader frowned. "Well, that changes things slightly, but we'll still get this ship turned yet."

"What'll you and Azura be doing?" Kinana asked. "That's the only thing I don't get."

"We're going to push the other ship as far away from the _Hydrangea_ as we can," Gorun answered. "As soon as Sting and Rogue are ready, I'll use instant transmission to get us back here."

"That sounds like you'll be cutting it pretty close," Yukino said worriedly. "Why can't you and Azura just push it far enough away and then blow it up yourselves?"

"In order to totally obliterate it and those freaks on board, we would need to output a lot of power," Azura answered. "A lot more than Kaidon is comfortable with. However, since Sting's magic is holy by nature, it should be able to accomplish the same thing without as much power, hence less of an explosion."

"On the other hand, it's still gonna be one hell of a blast, and the waves made by it could grow big enough to swamp the _Hydrangea_ ," Gorun explained, deciding to ignore his cousin's slip-up for the time being. "Maybe even flip her over. And we can't risk this zombie horde getting away, so we need to do this now."

"So how do we turn the ship?" Kinana asked. "Because talking didn't seem to do it with the commanding officers, like Romeo said."

"If they haven't started turning this thing by the time Azura and I make contact with the other ship, I'm going to need you to turn it by force," Gorun said seriously, his face grim.

If it weren't for the look in his eyes, Kinana would have laughed at the thought. However, it was all she could do to squeak out, "You want me to…? But I'm not strong enough to push a warship!"

"Yes, you are," he said encouragingly. "If you use a Kikoho at the right power level and angle, you can knock the ship off its current course without putting a hole in the hull."

"B-But…" she stammered. "I've never… It's too much, Gorun!"

"Hey!" Azura snapped, surprising everyone. "If Kaidon says you can do it, then it's within your power. He might be a lazy runaway, but his instincts are what sets him apart from the normal run of warriors, even where we come from. So stop allowing insecurity to hold you back from what needs to be done!"

Everyone stared at her unblinking for several seconds before she growled, "Stop it."

"Sorry!" Romeo yelped while everyone else averted their gaze, with the exception of Kinana.

"Thank you, Genora," she said gratefully. "I suppose I still need a reminder of how far I've come every now and again."

"Yeah, yeah," Azura snorted, though it was clear to Gorun that the sound of her Saiyan name pleased her. "Let's get a move on, Kaidon."

"After you," he grinned. She rolled her eyes, then shot into the fog, where the looming shape of the undead ship could now be seen, though not quite clearly yet. Letting out a whoop, he took off after her, giving Kinana a thumbs-up in the split second before he left.

Letting out a shuddering breath, Kinana turned to the others and said, "Okay. Yukino, I'm going to need you as a lookout and to stop any custody enforcement members that try to get in my way. Romeo, stand guard for Sting and Rogue. They're going to need all the concentration they can muster for this."

"You don't have to tell us twice," Sting muttered. "I still can't believe we're going through with this. It's so weird."

"I agree, but I see the necessity," Rogue muttered. Turning to Lector and Frosch, he added, "Help Yukino and Romeo if they need it."

"Okay!" Frosch said happily as he followed the girls.

"You got it, boss!" Lector said as he stood dutifully by Romeo's side, who struggled to contain his laughter at the exceed's serious expression.

"Ready?" Rogue asked his partner.

"As I'll ever be," Sting muttered as he lined himself up with his friend so that they were a few paces apart, shoulders parallel to one another. Letting out a deep breath, he added, "Here we go."

* * *

Bartholomew and Marcos were deep in conversation about what to do regarding the wizards, and whether or not they could or should comply with their suggestions, even if they were rudely given. Their conversation was cut short when a blinding light erupted from the rear of the vessel, made all the worse for the fact that they had been used to the dim lighting that was all the fog allowed. "What in the name of the gods is that?!" the captain demanded.

No sooner than he had spoken than did the light vanish, though it would take a few moments for the soldiers' sight to return. As soon as it did, there was some exclamations of surprise from the men monitoring the ship's equipment, which led to a thrill of alarm in the commanding officers.

"Ensign, what's going on?" Marcos demanded.

"The enemy ship seems to be getting further away at a speed that shouldn't be possible!" the man reported. "It's possible that the instruments are malfunctioning after that light hit us, sir!"

"No, sir!" another officer objected. "We had partial visual of the enemy craft only moments ago, coming at us from the side, but now we've lost them. They've gone, sir."

"Sir, what are our orders?" a warrant officer asked.

Marcos turned to Bartholomew, who muttered a curse as he spared a glance toward the stern of the vessel, where he thought he could make out a pair of figures through the fog, but he couldn't be sure. "Damn kids," he scowled. However, when he turned back to the men, he said, "Turn the ship ninety degrees away from the enemy craft, then all ahead full. Our friends from Fairy Tail and Sabertooth are preparing a surprise for the enemy that I think we'd be better off observing from far away."

"Yes, sir!" the officer said with a salute before he opened a radio channel and began to relay orders to the engine room.

"Are you certain, Captain?" Marcos asked.

"No, but the wizards have taken the choice out of our hands," Bartholomew sighed. "I only hope that they know what they're doing."

* * *

"Whoa," Romeo grinned as he beheld the newly-born fusion of Sting and Rogue, who wore a blue vest, plus white pants that complimented the trim of the same color, with a black sash, boots, and wrist guards. "So what do you guys call yourselves now?"

Lector was in total shock, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the merged form of his best friend and Rogue, the man's spiky black hair streaked with blond highlights ruffling in the slight breeze that managed to make its way through the fog.

" _Gorun had us going at this for an hour and a half before we got it right, and then he had us practicing a new move just for situations like this one,_ " the fusion answered with a wry grin as he closed his eyes, one blood red, the other indigo. His voice was bizarre, even by fusion standards- Rogue's deeper tones mixed with Sting's more nasally voice made for a strange union. " _We never got around to giving ourselves a name. But all things considered…_ " The muscular man grinned and said, " _How about Fang?_ "

"Fang?" Romeo snorted with laughter. "How'd you get that?"

" _Well, there's not much we can do with Rogue Cheney and Sting Eucliffe,_ " he answered. " _We figured an homage to our guild was better._ "

"Oh… Fang," Romeo nodded. "Like a saber tooth. I get it now. Hey, by the way, d'ya know that there's like twenty magic custody enforcement guys coming up behind us?"

" _Oh, yeah_ ," Fang grinned toothily. " _We still got a couple of minutes before Gorun and Azura get far enough away. I say we have some fun._ "

"I heard that," Romeo grinned as he turned to face the men in their flowing uniforms, purple flames dancing in his hands. "I guess since the captain didn't keep these guys in line, it's up to us to remind 'em who's the boss around here."

" _I like the way you think, kid,_ " Fang said, white shadows enveloping him.

"Fairy Tail and Sabertooth wizards!" one of the men shouted from the rear of the group as they fanned out. "You are hereby ordered to stand down by the authority vested in me by the Fiore Magic Council!"

It was here that Lector finally found his voice so that he could shout, "What's goin' on here?!"

* * *

"How're you holding up?!" Gorun shouted to be heard over the sound of the rushing waves, his golden hair whipping wildly behind him as he and Azura continued to push back the enemy ship in their Super Saiyan forms.

"Fine!" she replied curtly. "Why? Do you need a rest stop already?!"

"Only when you do," he grinned, even though she couldn't see his face. They were slightly separated by the bow of the ship, having taken to either side in order to shove it straight back and give Rogue and Sting's fusion a clear shot.

"I still can't believe that you taught those two the fusion dance," Azura more or less growled at him- as much as one could when shouting to be heard above the forces of nature.

"I trust them!" he shouted back. "At least, well enough to know that they aren't fond of sharing secret techniques with other people! Besides, Yukino vouched for them!"

"And just because she's Fairy Tail, you'll take her word for it?!" his cousin snorted.

"That's part of it, yeah!" Gorun admitted. "But my future wife wouldn't have asked her to be the Maid of Honor if she wasn't trustworthy!"

"You place a lot of trust in people you haven't known very long!"

"That may be, but they still understand me better than anyone in the Time Patrol ever did!"

"Hmph!" Azura snorted again, but she did not voice an actual rebuttal, instead choosing to say, "I suppose you always were the misfit."

* * *

"Stand down!" the mage from the council demanded as Romeo and Fang stared them down with mischievous smiles. "Comply or we will be forced to take action!"

"Do you want this bunch, or can I take care of it?" Romeo asked his companion.

" _Much as I would love to, I also don't wanna damage the ship while I waste these losers,_ " Fang answered. " _Show 'em what you got, kid._ "

"Take them in!" the lead officer shouted, his men already on the move.

"Ha!" Romeo grinned as a crimson magic circle appeared over his head. "I've been saving this one!" He grunted with exertion as a red aura enveloped him before shouting, "Now I'll show you guys _my_ Kaioken!"

" _Whoa, did Gorun teach you that?_ " Fang asked, sounding impressed.

"Nah," Romeo grunted as the council soldiers eyed him warily. "I figured it out by watching Gorun… Not the first time I've done something like this, either… Now if you don't mind… I've got work to do."

Without another word, he leaped forward, bowling over a custody officer with unnatural speed. He skidded to a stop, breathing heavily as he looked at the rest of the men defiantly for a second before he moved again, roping several of them together with his purple flames before slamming them into the deck, head-first, knocking them out cold.

"Ha…" he gasped as he stumbled to a stop next to Fang, who looked at him with concern.

" _You okay, kid?_ " he asked, even as more of the officers rushed at them, magic staves glowing with various elemental powers.

"Yeah…" Romeo gasped. "Just… not used to this spell…" Giving vent to another growl, he unleashed a black flame that exploded when it hit the nearest officer, throwing him and several of his companions back with burn marks on their bodies, leaving them smoking, groaning messes on the deck. However, there was still about half of the soldiers left, and Romeo didn't look too good.

Just as Fang was about to step in, the rest of the officers collapsed to the ground, grunting as their gravitational pull increased threefold, rendering them helpless before Kinana and Yukino, who strode onto the scene with severe looks on their normally peaceful faces.

"Sorry we're late," the silver-haired celestial mage said.

"You're just… in time," Romeo gasped before he released the Kaioken and fell to his knees, clutching at his heart.

"Romeo!" Kinana cried as she moved swiftly to catch him. "What did you do?!"

" _He used that amplification spell that you and your boyfriend use,_ " Fang informed her. " _He didn't look too good, but I get the feeling that he wouldn't have stopped, even if I had said something. Is he gonna be okay?_ "

"I'm not sure," Kinana said worriedly as Romeo slipped into unconsciousness, mumbling feverishly. "The Kaioken is very powerful, but it puts a heavy strain on your muscles, particularly your heart. I had to train for almost a year before I could use it in battle, and even then it was really difficult for me to use. What was Gorun thinking, teaching that to a wizard as young and inexperienced as him?"

" _He didn't_ ," Fang answered, surprising the girl. " _The kid said that he learned it by watching Gorun in battle._ "

"It wouldn't be the first time…" she sighed heavily.

" _He said that, too._ "

"All right, I need to get him to the infirmary," Kinana said as she scooped up the boy with a strength that belied her frame. "Yukino, can you handle watching this guy's back while I'm gone?"

" _The name's Fang_ ," the fused warrior interjected.

"I can," Yukino nodded firmly. "Don't forget, I used to be an S-class wizard when I was with Sabertooth."

"Thank you," the purple-haired girl said with relief right before she ran off.

" _You know, if you wanted to come back, we could restore your S-rank,_ " Fang offered. When he received a glare that rivaled Minerva's sternest expression, he swiftly said, " _Sorry. I'll just get ready to blow the ship up._ "

"I think that would be wise."

* * *

"How much longer?!" Azura shouted at Gorun.

"Should be any second now!" he answered. "Just keep pushing!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

* * *

" _Okay,_ " Fang muttered to himself as he gazed into the swirling fog behind them. " _Moment of truth._ " Taking in a deep breath, he began to growl as he exerted effort into the two magic circles he needed to construct.

The growl quickly turned into a raw-throated battle cry as the wind picked up speed and began to swirl around him, forcing Yukino to retreat a few paces away from the fused warrior. A black magic circle that shone with white light appeared above his head before enveloping him in a brilliant void of luminance. With one last scream, the magic circle and the bizarre energy dissipated, leaving a transformed Fang in place, a huge grin on his face.

" _Hehehe…_ " he smirked as he flexed his arms, now covered in the white and black dragon force markings of Sting and Rogue. _"Let's get this party started!_ "

Taking a stance that mimicked Gorun's Kienzan technique, he willed another single magic circle into existence above his hand that was stretched up to the heavens. It was black as pitch, yet it shone as if with starlight. " _Time to end this nightmare,_ " he declared.

* * *

"Now!" Gorun shouted as he drew back from the boat, Azura immediately following suit. "Grab on!"

"I said to stop giving me orders!" she snapped, but reached out to clutch at his shoulder anyway. The second they made contact with one another, Gorun engaged instant transmission, taking them out of what was about to become the firing range.

* * *

" _Twilight Dragon's…_ " Fang growled out as white shadows swirled above his head, congealing into an orb no larger than one of earth's dragon balls. With a mighty heave, he sent the little projectile out across the ocean at supersonic speed, the wind from his throw buffeting those close to him as he bellowed, " _SOUL PUNISHER!_ "

"What the-?!" Lector yelped as he was nearly blown away by the technique, only managing to stay where he was by grabbing onto Yukino's leg and hanging on for dear life. "I knew Sting and Rogue were a couple a strong guys, but I never seen 'em do somethin' like this!"

"That's because the fusion dance doesn't just add two people's powers together!" Yukino shouted to be heard over the rushing wind. "It significantly multiplies them! In terms of raw power, Fang could probably match Gorun, even at Super Saiyan 2!"

Off in the distance, they saw a brilliant light darken the fog behind them, the sound of a monstrous explosion quickly following, one that saw the waves increase in height and ferocity as they chased after the retreating war vessel.

"That strong?!" Lector cried.

"Yep!" a familiar voice answered, prompting the exceed and the girl to look over and see the two saiyan hybrids standing by in their Super Saiyan forms as if energy blasts of this magnitude were no different than standing out in the rain. Gorun grinned and added, "Might make for an interesting fight during the next Grand Magic Games!"

"You're insane!" Lector shouted at him. "D'ya wanna blow up the whole country?!"

"We can always fight it out over the ocean!"

* * *

Somewhere far away in the depths of a castle, in a room unseen by human eyes in hundreds of years, a dark, robed figure sat, watching a lachryma vision with rapt attention. He watched through eyes without pupils as the ship full of men that he had reanimated was overwhelmed and torn to shreds, until not even a single atom remained of the once-proud Fiore vessel and her crew.

He frowned then, sinking back into his rocky seat, clenching his fists that lacked skin and muscle. It wasn't that he cared about the cadavers that had been destroyed- he couldn't care less, in fact. No, what disturbed him was the power itself that had rendered his undead troupe inert. _No mere human could have mustered that much power,_ he thought, placing his stark white chin in his fingers. _It should have taken the so-called 'Sacred Light' of the Magic Council to generate such a blast._

He pondered for a few more moments before he concluded, _Perhaps we should have given more credence to Silver's report than we initially did. If this Fairy Tail guild can call upon such warriors as these, we may have to take new precautions._ The thought that any single human could overpower one of him or his compatriots was absurd, especially given who their leader was. However, it did not do to be overconfident- such arrogance could only lead to death.

Of course, being a necromancer, he knew all there was to know about death.

 _Soon these Fairies and Tigers will experience my knowledge on the subject firsthand,_ he thought as a small smile stretched his fleshless lips.

* * *

"So they're gone?" Bartholomew asked as the wizards assembled before him, with the exception of Romeo, who was resting in the med bay.

"Without a trace, sir," Gorun answered with an emphatic nod. "Azura and I scanned the area where the enemy ship went down. There's no trace of the undead or the vessel."

"The king won't like that you sunk one of his ships," Marcos said with a frown.

"Your king had already declared that ship sunk and its crew dead," Azura said sharply. "Far as logistics go, you've already covered that loss."

"The lass makes a fair point," Bartholomew said with a wry grin. "It's not an ideal outcome, but I'll take it. None of our men were harmed, and you all managed to make this place safe waters for our ships again." He inclined his head toward them and added, "Thank you."

" _No sweat,_ " Fang grinned as he gave the Captain a thumbs-up. " _This was a lot of fun, Bart. Let's do it again sometime._ "

"Let's not," Lector begged. "Zombies were bad enough one time, I don't ever wanna see one ever again!"

"They were really gross!" Frosch said in agreement.

"Well, we weren't able to identify the necromancer responsible for this, so until we do, that remains a distinct possibility," Kinana pointed out, causing the others to blanch at the thought, with the exception of Azura.

"We'll deliver our report concerning the nature of our attackers to the Magic Council," Gorun said after he had recomposed himself. "I get the feeling that they'll be putting together another coalition before long if there's a necromancer running loose somewhere in Fiore."

" _What about those council goons that tried to jump us?_ " Fang demanded. " _I get the feeling that they won't exactly be singing our praises when we get back to the council!_ "

"I've had a word with them," Marcos said grimly. "Apparently they had a hidden agenda, given to them by the council when they found out it was Son Gorun leading the team from Fairy Tail."

"Lemme guess," Gorun said heavily. "They wanted to see if I constitute a threat to the country?"

"More or less, from what I could gather," the commander nodded. "For what it's worth, I am sorry that we didn't keep a closer eye on them."

"And I am equally sorry that I did not consider your plan the wisest course until it was nearly too late," Bartholomew added. "Your guild's reputation, Fairy Tail…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know we have a habit of blowing up more than we're supposed to," Gorun said irritably.

"Even so," the Captain said with a barely contained smile. "We will hold the custody enforcement officers in the brig until we make the return trip to the capital, where they will be held accountable for mutinous behavior."

"Understood," Gorun nodded. "We appreciate it."

"Just be glad that you're not in the navy," Marcos reminded them as they turned to leave. "You may have done what was right, and your gamble may have paid off, but it is important in every unit of the military that the commanding officer be obeyed without question."

" _As you said_ ," Fang snorted as they walked off the bridge. " _We're not the military._ "

"Shut up, discount Gogeta," Azura snapped.

" _That's_ who he looks like!" Gorun exclaimed, much to everyone else's bewilderment.

* * *

A few days later, the ship docked in at the southern border post, whereupon the Fairies and Tigers took their leave. Romeo had spent most of the trip sleeping off the effects of the Kaioken and allowing his damaged muscles time to repair themselves.

Gorun had been furious upon learning that the boy had copied the amplification spell without his knowledge or consent. As soon as Romeo had been allowed to have visitors, the saiyan hybrid was ready with a lecture for the startled young wizard.

"You could have killed yourself!" he shouted. "That spell takes a year to master, and even then it can cause your heart to give out if you don't use it properly! How would you expect me to break it to your father if you got killed using a technique of mine?!"

"I didn't know!" the boy had protested weakly. He had never seen his leader so angry at him before. Mildly annoyed and exasperated, yes, but never real anger.

"I know you didn't know!" Gorun growled. "Which is why you shouldn't have been messing around with my magic in the first place! How many times have you heard me say that it's very dangerous to use, even when doing it correctly?!"

"A lot…" Romeo said, subdued.

Realizing that he was probably taking it a little too far again, Gorun forced himself to calm down as he sat by the boy's bedside, taking deep and measured breaths. When he felt like he was a little more in control of himself, he had said, "Like I told you, I spent a year training Kinana before she was able to use the technique without hurting herself. Unlike the Masenko you copied from me, which still utilizes your own magic style, the Kaioken can only be powered by the raw ethernano that courses through your body. You haven't trained your body to handle that kind of magic power- that's why it nearly killed you."

"I'm sorry, Gorun, I really am," the boy said plaintively.

Gorun waved the apology aside and said, "I know you are. …I suppose I owe you an apology, not having paid closer attention to what you were learning from me besides life lessons. This came about because of my carelessness, but if you use that spell again, the consequences will fall on your shoulders alone."

"I won't, I promise," the boy insisted. Then, after a moment of thought, he added, "But if you taught me how to-"

"Focus on getting better right now," Gorun said to cut him off. "We'll see about training you to use the Kaioken some other time, if _I_ think you can handle it." Any protests that Romeo might have had were stilled as soon as Gorun fixed another stern glare at him and said, "That's final."

"Yes, sir…" Romeo mumbled as he sank further into his blankets.

Now, the combined group stood in front of the Sabertooth guild hall, Gorun having teleported them there in order to drop off Sting, Rogue, and their exceeds.

"Man, it's good to be home," Sting grinned as he and Rogue stepped away from the group. "Though I do gotta say, it was pretty fun working with you guys again. Wanna come in for a drink before you head back to Fairy Tail?"

"We appreciate the offer, but we should really get Romeo back to see Wendy so he can finish healing," Gorun answered politely. Despite taking it easy for the rest of the voyage, the boy was still having trouble walking, and now relied on a pair of crutches to get around. "Besides, Kinana and I have an important announcement to make to the rest of our guild now that Team Natsu should have returned."

"What's this?" Rogue asked curiously.

Gorun and Kinana shared a look before the young man shrugged and said, "Well, everyone else is gonna know soon, anyway." Turning to the dragon slayer duo, he told them, "We'll let you in on the secret, but only if you promise not to speak of it until someone else from our guild mentions it to you."

"You got it," Sting grinned again. "So, spill."

"We're getting married!" Kinana giggled happily, flashing her engagement ring proudly at the two stunned wizards and exceeds.

"You seriously didn't notice her ring the whole time?" Azura scoffed. "Not to mention all the insufferable public displays of affection?"

"Well, they've always acted like that, far as I know," Sting said, a blank look still on his face. "Also, congratulations. I, uh… Huh, I've never actually met anyone that's getting married? How about you, Rogue?"

"Not that I can recall," the shadowy wizard shrugged, regaining his composure a little more quickly than his friend had. "And I believe that congratulations are in order, yes." He actually smiled at the pair, surprising them. "I wish you many long and happy years together."

"Can I be the flower frog?" Frosch asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course!" Kinana laughed, bringing a chuckle out of Gorun. Looking back up at Sting and Rogue, she added, "I do hope that you two will be able to attend the wedding."

"Let us know the date and we'll mark it on our calendars," Sting laughed back. "We'd be honored to attend!"

"It will be nice to have your team there," Yukino said with a small smile of her own. "It'll certainly keep things lively, I imagine."

"I think Fairy Tail is already lively enough as it is," Rogue smirked, though they could tell he meant nothing negative by it. "In any case, Sting and I have a report to write, and I imagine Gorun has to do the same. Until we meet again." With that, he turned on his heel and started up the path that led to his guild.

"Later, guys!" Sting waved as he went to catch up with him, followed by Lector and Frosch.

"Bye-bye!" the green exceed chirped.

"We'll see ya when we see ya!" Lector added.

The Fairies waved good-bye before Gorun asked, "Ready to go home?"

"I'm ready to have a proper shower," Azura grunted. The others muttered various agreements as their leader placed his fingers on his forehead and teleported them back to Magnolia, many of them excited to greet their friends and tell them the good news.

* * *

After arriving in town, Azura immediately took her leave to head for the girls' dorms so she could retreat into her own room to be alone for a bit. The others, however, made straight for the guild hall, all of them wearing large smiles on their faces.

The smiles widened when they ran into Team Natsu, but quickly died on their faces when they saw that the usually exuberant team was somber, grim even. Frowning, Gorun called out to them, saying, "Hey! Guys!"

Their guild mates looked surprised to see them, if grateful. "Hello, everyone," Erza said by way of greeting, even managing a small smile as they drew closer to one another. "How was your mission?"

"Great, except for the part where we almost got eaten alive by zombies, and I messed up my body trying to use the Kaioken," Romeo shrugged. Grinning at Wendy, he asked shyly, "Uh… Would you mind trying to heal me once we get a chance?"

"Of course!" the blue-haired girl exclaimed as she knelt to look more closely at the wounded limbs while Carla scoffed, clearly unimpressed.

"Uh… _Zombies_?!" Happy and Lucy exclaimed, though everyone mostly ignored them.

"You should know better than to play with magic outside your area of practice!" Carla scolded Romeo, also ignoring her teammates. "Just think of how distraught poor Wendy would be if you-"

"Okay, Carla, that's enough," Wendy told her, surprising everyone. "He looks like he's had a hard enough time without the rest of us yelling at him."

"I already lectured him, so let's let him be," Gorun informed the white exceed. "Forget about that for right now, though. What happened during your trip? You all looked like someone died, but everyone here looks okay."

"Uh, funny you should mention that…" Gray said as he scratched his head awkwardly. Something in his expression sent a shiver down the Saiyan's spine, and it wasn't from his friend's ice magic.

"It seems that one of our old foes has returned with a vengeance," Erza informed them. "Gorun… While investigating a frozen village… Minerva attacked us."

"…What?"

* * *

 **Azura:I'm surprised that you managed to put up this new chapter, what with how little sleep you've been getting the last week.**

 **Mataras: I write several months in advance for a reason- rainy day and all that.**

 **Gorun: _I_ still can't believe that you're a dad- again!**

 **Mataras: Join the club.**

 **Azura: How is it treating you, aside from the constant fatigue?**

 **Mataras: I'll let you know when I wake up.**

 **Gorun: Next time- The Best Laid Plans**

 **Azura: Hold on, are you not awake right now?**

 **Mataras: I'm very good at sleep-walking.**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

Gorun looked at Gray, and asked, "Do you want to, or shall I?"

"No, please, I insist," the ice wizard chuckled as he tossed his shirt into the fire.

"Gray, that's not kindling, and Natsu, you two get to fight each other for the position of my best man," he said while Gray cursed as he watched his purple shirt get eaten up by the voracious flames. "Loser gets to be my other groomsman."

"All right!" Natsu grinned as he leaped to his feet, sparks flying as he slammed his fist into his palm. "Now you're talkin' my language!"

"Yeah right, like I'm just gonna let you have the position," Gray snorted as he stood up. "Let's go, Salamander."

* * *

Saiyan Tail Profile  
Subject: Romeo Conbolt

Age: 13 yrs

Author's Commentary:

So yeah, clearly I'm not Romeo's creator, but like with all the other characters in Golden Tail that were created by Hiro Mashima, I felt that it was time for Romeo to get his due turn. I was disappointed by how we were shown the potential for a great brotherly relationship between him and Natsu, which was left largely unfulfilled. I even hoped that at some point, Natsu would become something of a mentor figure to Romeo, much like how Gildarts was with him, but that's not what we got, and to be fair, Natsu has plenty of other things going on that don't really leave a lot of room for being a teacher. It's a minor gripe of mine, but it is there, and I decided to do something about it.  
Hence why I decided to have Gorun take him under his wing, which, given the circumstances that saw to Gorun joining the guild in the absence of the Tenrou Team, I thought would make sense. Romeo doesn't really have much of a role model in his father, and we never see his mother, so I wanted to see how he would do with a stronger moral presence in his life. I'm not saying that Gorun is top mentor material (he clearly has a lot of his own issues to deal with), but he is doing his best to help the kid.

Known Techniques:

-Fire Magic  
+Purple Flame; a fire that sticks to anything that it touches without burning the target, unless the caster wishes it  
+Dragon Fart Flame; a sickly green fire that releases a foul odor, often nauseating its victims  
+Scarlet Flame; a dark red fire spell that instantly incinerates whatever it touches  
+Cold Flame; an odd spell that freezing instead of burning  
+Scorching Masenko; a spell that Romeo created after witnessing Gorun's technique, a concentrated beam of fire is released from the users hands, and explodes on contact with anything solid (has been shown to be powerful enough to kill infant dragons)

Known Transformations/Enhancements:

-Kaioken (imperfect)

Accomplishments

-Successfully mimicked and altered one of Gorun's spells without the input of Mavis, before any of his guild mates even considered it possible  
-Killed several infant dragons alongside his peers during the Dragon King Festival  
-Became one of the founding members of Golden Tail alongside Gorun  
-Assisted in the battle against the Immortal Phoenix  
-Assisted in the battle against the Undead Fiore Navy

Stats

-Power: 2/7  
-Speed: 2/7  
-Technique: 4/7  
-Intelligence: 4/7  
-Cooperativeness: 6/7

Fun Facts:

-Romeo has actually worked out the Metamoran fusion method for himself, but as there is no one in the guild with a power level or build similar to his, he has yet to actually attempt a fusion


	27. The Best Laid Plans

**A/N: I'm hoping that at least some of you guys that risked Black Friday shopping are alive after being strangled by crazy people. If so, I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving Day, and that you had much to be grateful for. I know that I'm thankful to have a supportive fan base like you guys.**

 **I haven't made a response video for the last chapter, largely because there's been less time for people to put up reviews for this chapter than I usually give. However, there's also the changes that YouTube is making that keep making it harder for people like me to put out new content, so I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to be able to continue putting out response like I have been. I'll update you more the next time that I put out a chapter, but I may end up having to erase my channel altogether, in which case, I have a friend who might be able to help set up my own website. Nothing is certain yet, but we'll see.**

 **Now that the bonus update is over with, let's get on to the main event. Read, review, and as always, I hope you enjoy!**

 **P.S. The new cover art was created by yours' truly, and edited into a digital format by my wife. You can see the original piece on my instagram the_red_swordsman**

* * *

 _War of the Underworld: Prologue_

The Best Laid Plans

"You're certain it was her?" Makarov asked with a heavy frown as he gazed at Erza. She and Gorun were standing before him, having just delivered the news that Minerva was somehow not only alive, but now also a member of a dark guild.

"Absolutely," Erza replied without hesitation.

"And you're equally certain that she died during the Grand Magic Games?" Makarov asked the young man standing beside her.

"I hit her with a blast strong enough to blow up the planet if I fired it at the core," Gorun answered, his arms folded, his expression worried. "There's no way she survived that. Besides, if she had used her spatial magic to avoid getting disintegrated, I would have been able to feel it, and gone after her accordingly. However, I may have something in the way of an explanation…"

Erza eyed him concernedly before asking, "Why do you look as though someone put down your dog?"

"Because the explanation disturbs me a great deal," Gorun answered. "During my quest to safeguard the _Hydrangea_ , our teams discovered the work of a necromancer, a skilled one."

"A what?!" Makarov exclaimed, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as he tightened his grip on his staff. "Did you say a necromancer?!"

"Unfortunately," Gorun nodded, noticing the way that Erza was paling. "Whoever it was managed to not only kill, but reanimate an entire naval ship's worth of crewmen and soldiers. We neutralized them, but we have no idea where the magician responsible is. It's very likely that the same entity is responsible for the reanimation of Minerva."

"This is most troubling news," Makarov muttered, his body trembling and his eyes still looking like they wanted to pop out of his head. "I'll need to send a report of this to the council."

"Kinana is drafting a report of our experiences on the same subject matter," Gorun informed the old man. "Perhaps if we send our letters together, yours' will be examined more rapidly, seeing as they're expecting mine any day now."

"Mmm, that could work," the guild master nodded. "I'll get to it, then. Drop off your summary here at my desk this afternoon, and I'll see it delivered to the council."

"Thank you, sir," Gorun replied with a short bow. "Also, there was… another matter I wanted to discuss with you."

"Can it wait?" the old wizard asked as Erza took her leave from the office.

"It's waited too long as it is," the saiyan boy answered with a negative shake of his head. "I need to discuss this sooner rather than later, especially if we're going to be called into action against a demonic power like this."

"Hmph, very well then, out with it," Makarov said impatiently. "We both have things we need to get done." As he spoke, he reached for a quill pen and paper.

"Then I'll be brief," Gorun said. "Kinana and I are engaged to be married, and we would like to announce it to the guild as soon as possible."

Makarov's hand jerked in surprise, spilling the inkwell and ruining the paper. He hardly seemed to notice though, fixated on Gorun's grinning face as he was. "You two…" he said softly. "I knew you were very close, but… So soon?"

"Like I said, it's waited too long as it is," the boy replied. "I should have begun courting her some time before I did, but now that we have been together for a while, I am sure that this is the right decision. We love and treasure one another, Master. What reason more should we need to become husband and wife?"

"Ah, young love," Makarov chuckled, despite himself as he relaxed, a wistful smile appearing on his face. "You have been given something very special, Gorun. Are you certain that you are not acting in haste?"

"I am," he answered without hesitation. "I know that Kinana's family is no longer among the living, since the children that were enslaved in the Tower of Heaven were always orphaned, so I cannot ask for her father's permission to wed his daughter. But… I know that you see all of us in the guild as your children, and so now I come to ask you if you'll grant our union your blessing."

Makarov was quiet for a long moment, leaning back into his chair and studying Gorun as if he were seeing him for the first time. At last, he asked with a twinkle in his eye, "Aren't the young men supposed to ask the father's permission _before_ asking the girl?"

"It's the thought that counts?" Gorun shrugged.

Makarov laughed again, marveling at how only moments ago, the atmosphere had been tense and laden with fear. Now, here he was, happy and laughing, despite the thought of necromancer running loose in Fiore. Shaking aside the maudlin thoughts, he said, "Regardless, in the stead of her departed parents, I would be happy to give her to you in marriage. I assume I'll be playing that role in the wedding as well?"

"That was our hope, yes," the younger wizard grinned.

"Then who will perform the ceremony?" the old man inquired. "As a Wizard Saint, I'm qualified to attend to matters of state like this one, though it's not often that we are asked."

"I actually did know that, and we thought about it during our trip," Gorun replied readily. "We considered asking you, but Kinana said she'd rather have you act in the stead of her father. So if it's all right with you, we would like it if Jura could perform the ceremony at the Kardia Cathedral."

"I have no issue with that at all," the white-haired wizard replied. "He's a fine man, Jura Neekos. You'll have to ask him, of course, and it will be unusual to have a wizard from another guild presiding over the ceremony, but like I said, I take no issue with it."

"Excellent," Gorun said with a happy smile. "When can we announce it to the guild?"

"I do believe that most of our members will be home this week, so anytime you feel would be best," Makarov shrugged.

"Then can we do it tomorrow evening?" Gorun asked. "We're eager for everyone to know."

"How many already do know?" his master asked curiously.

"You, my team, and Sting and Rogue from Sabertooth, since they were with us during the trip," the saiyan hybrid answered. "I will be telling Team Natsu tonight, since we have parts for each of them to play."

"Ah," Makarov nodded. "Very well, I'll let Mirajane know that we'll be having a party tomorrow night under the pretense that we are celebrating the guild's founding."

"Isn't that supposed to be like two months from now?" Gorun asked as he started toward the door.

"I'm hoping that with all insanity of the last few months, everyone will forget that little fact…" the guild master grumbled. "If anyone presses too hard, I'll just tell them we're doing the celebration early because I'll be going to a conference with the other Wizard Saints during that time. That oughta keep 'em happy until you make your announcement."

"Thanks, Master," Gorun said as he walked out the door.

"Have a good evening, boy!" Makarov called after him.

"You too, see you tomorrow!"

* * *

He had Team Natsu and the Strauss siblings over for dinner that evening. Mirajane, Lisanna and Elfman were invited more or less last-minute because Kinana told Gorun that she doubted she could handle cooking enough food for all of them, and would need extra assistance to feed him, Azura, and Natsu in addition to everyone else. Gorun also recalled that he had once invited them to dinner, but their plans had been cancelled because of the events involving the phoenix.

They had a barbeque in the backyard of his home under a cloudless night sky, with everyone enjoying plenty of good food and company. Romeo spent a lot of the time talking to Wendy about their voyage while she continued healing his body from the aftereffects of the Kaioken while Carla looked on with disapproval, despite Momon and Happy's attempts to get her attention with the fish he had brought along. Éclair was seen showing her developing fire magic to Lisanna, Natsu, and Lucy while Gray and Yukino got caught up on their most recent adventures. Erza chatted with Elfman and Mirajane, while Gorun and Kinana made sure to speak to everyone at one point or another, the girl hiding her ring with a pair of mitts that she used while working with the meat. Azura simply sat up in a tree on the edge of his lawn, only coming down briefly when it was time for her to eat.

Once everyone had a full belly and was sitting around the fire, chattering contentedly among themselves, Gorun stood up with a large grin on his face. "Well, I hope you all have enjoyed this evening," he began, only to be interrupted by several of his friends giving their thanks for opening up his home to them, which only served to make him smile wider. "Hey, if you really want to thank somebody, thank Kinana and Mirajane for making all that food. If I'd cooked it, I'd be kicked out of the guild." This made them all laugh.

Taking a second to compose himself, he then said, "I do have a reason for inviting you all here tonight, other than wanting to spend time with you. As it so happens, I've got a pretty major announcement to make."

Here, the others grew still, even Natsu and Happy. Those that were in on the secret had smiles that matched his own, while Natsu's team and the Strauss siblings looked anywhere between worried to curious. Not wanting to keep them in suspense for too long, he said, "There's going to be a wedding this autumn… and it's going to be mine and Kinana's."

Their reactions were immediate as soon as his fiancée moved closer to the fire and pulled off her mitts to reveal the ring that she had been hiding. Natsu, Happy, and Momon let out cries of shock while Gray started laughing and shaking his head, lightly berating himself for not seeing it coming as soon as it did. Erza and Mirajane were ecstatic, rushing over to see the ring and ask Kinana a thousand and one questions. Éclair was nodding and smiling softly at the pair of them while Lucy also seemed excited, if a little wistful. Carla broke character and flew over to give Gorun a genuine congratulations and a hug around the neck before flying over to Kinana to do the same. Wendy was giggling happily as she added her own congratulations alongside Lisanna.

Elfman, of course, jumped up off his seat and shouted, "Now _that's_ manly, having a wedding! Congrats, you two!"

Once the commotion had died down a little bit, Gorun called everyone's attention back to himself and Kinana. "Now, you guys are the only ones in the guild who know about this, other than Master," he told them. "We're making the official announcement tomorrow evening at the guild hall, but Master is disguising the party as the guild's founding anniversary."

"Oh, I thought that was weird, but now I get it," Mirajane said, recalling her senior's instructions about getting the mess hall ready for the festivities.

"The reason we're telling you guys now is because we wanted each of you to play a role in the wedding," Kinana told them. "Yukino is going to be my Maid of Honor while Azura will be one of my bridesmaids. I'm also planning to ask Laki to be in the party. We were hoping that you guys would be willing to cater the wedding," she added as she looked at the Strauss siblings.

"We'd love to!" Mirajane exclaimed.

"Hell yeah, we would!" Elfman nodded eagerly.

"It'll be our pleasure," Lisanna added with a cheery smile.

"Great!" Gorun smiled. "Romeo is gonna be one of my groomsmen, and Kinana suggested a certain redhead for the cake-maker…" He cast a meaningful glance at Erza, who looked as though she might swoon.

"I will prepare the finest ingredients in all of Fiore!" she declared as she shot to her feet.

"Chill out, the wedding isn't for several months," Gorun laughed again.

"Oh, of course," Erza said as she sat down, still shaking with barely suppressed excitement.

"All right, onto the wedding coordinator," Kinana giggled while everyone else laughed at Erza's antics. "Any guesses as to who we thought would be best suited for the job?"

"Is it Lucy?" Wendy volunteered, at which the blond girl immediately began to protest.

"No, but we _did_ want her and you to do the flower arrangements, if that's all right," the purple-haired girl answered. "Would you be okay with that?"

"Yeah, I'd love to!" the sky mage answered enthusiastically.

"Well, okay, sure," Lucy said haltingly. "I mean… are you sure you want me to do that?"

"I'm sure some of your spirits could help you out if you feel overwhelmed," Yukino pointed out.

"Oh, good point," Lucy grinned, looking relieved. "Okay, yeah! Let's do it!"

"Now, back to the wedding coordinator," Gorun said. "We needed someone who keeps their cool under pressure, has a backbone that competes with some of the more stubborn people in the guild, and has excellent organizational skills. The fact that they might be able to foretell certain disasters would also come in handy."

At his last words, everyone's gaze drifted towards Carla, who looked incredibly surprised. "What, me?" she gasped.

"Yes, you," Kinana and Gorun said together with barely contained laughter.

"But, I… I have no skill as a coordinator of any kind!" she protested.

"So you're saying you _don't_ want the chance to be the boss of everybody but the bride and groom for a whole day?" Gorun challenged.

Carla appeared thoughtful at this, then said, "All right, I accept."

"Happy, you're the ring-bearer," her fiancé declared. "And if you lose the rings, Romeo has orders to serve a new dish- feline flambé."

"Hey, don't I get a say in this?!" the blue cat protested.

"I'll catch you any fish you like if you do a good job of it," Gorun offered.

"Deal!" Happy exclaimed, his eyes going wide as he began to think of which legendary creature he could possibly have the Super Saiyan god of Fairy Tail bring him.

"I can help Carla if she needs it!" Momon offered, to which Carla agreed, albeit reluctantly. Still, it didn't seem to bother the yellow bird, so Gorun and Kinana decided to accept it.

"Hang on, what about me?!" Natsu demanded. "I thought we were friends!"

Gorun looked at Gray, and asked, "Do you want to, or shall I?"

"No, please, I insist," the ice wizard chuckled as he tossed his shirt into the fire.

"Gray, that's not kindling, and Natsu, you two get to fight each other for the position of my best man," he said while Gray cursed as he watched his purple shirt get eaten up by the voracious flames. "Loser gets to be my other groomsman."

"All right!" Natsu grinned as he leaped to his feet, sparks flying as he slammed his fist into his palm. "Now you're talkin' my language!"

"Yeah right, like I'm just gonna let you have the position," Gray snorted as he stood up. "Let's go, Salamander."

"Hold it!" Gorun shouted before they could get into it. "Let us finish!"

"Who else is there?" Lisanna inquired.

"Éclair," Kinana said, instantly causing the youngest Strauss sibling to go beet red with embarrassment, while the brunette simply hid smile while she looked up at the purple-haired girl. "Gorun told me that it's tradition where he comes from to have someone close to the family say a blessing for the new couple when they get married. We would be honored if you would do so at our wedding."

"Are you certain?" she asked softly. "We've not known one another for very long."

"We know each other well enough to risk our lives for you," Gorun pointed out. "And where I come from, that makes us brothers and sisters in arms. You're close enough to family for me."

"And I feel the same way," Kinana added.

"Then I humbly accept," the former priestess said graciously.

"All right!" Natsu crowed. Then he dashed over to a spot about a hundred feet away from the gathering before turning back and shouting, "Now fight me, Ice Princess!"

"You're gonna regret askin' for it, flame-for-brains!" his rival shot back, charging straight at the fire mage with ice already forming in his hands.

"Hey Natsu, no dragon force," Gorun said as they squared off. "I want this to be an even fight, got it?"

"Fine, whatever," Natsu snorted as his fists lit up. "I don't need it to melt this overgrown snowman!"

"Now it's on, lizard breath!"

" _Let's do this!_ "

The air began to alternate between frigid and unbearably hot as the two wizards engaged in a fast-paced brawl that quickly took them downhill, toward the beach. Gorun breathed a small sigh of relief as the conflict moved away from his home, lessening the chance that one of the two boys would damage it.

"Gotta love how they don't even question the fact that you couldn't make up your mind on who you wanted your best man to be," Lucy commented as soon as the boys' shouts died down to a level where they could hear each other without having to shout.

"Who says I didn't?" Gorun smirked.

Everyone looked at him incredulously before Romeo asked, "Wait, you know which one of 'em is gonna win?!"

"I'm reasonably certain," he answered.

"Well then, who do you think it'll be?" Yukino inquired.

* * *

"Ice make: _Lance!_ " Gray unleashed a barrage of frozen projectiles at Natsu, who was swift to neutralize them with a Wing Attack. Sand flew up all around them, their battle having progressed to the beach.

"That all you got?!" he laughed as fireball grew above his head. "Fire Dragon _Brilliant Flame!_ "

Gray narrowly dodged the scorching heat by flying away on a kite that he conjured with his magic. From there, he got in close with an Ice Bringer, nearly cutting Natsu with the keen swords. The dragon slayer retaliated with a talon attack that sent Gray reeling.

"Time to prove who's the best man here!" Natsu declared as he cupped his hands by his ribs. "Fire Dragon…"

Gray let out a growl and flipped himself up onto his feet while muttering, "Ice-make…"

" _Kamehameha!_ "

" _Freezing Gallick Gun!_ "

Fire roared and ice screamed as the two energy beams collided, blasting the sand away from the point of impact and disturbing the nearby waters. Both boys could be heard attempting to assert their vocal dominance over one another as the elements raged between them.

"Give up while ya can!" Natsu bellowed, straining harder against Gray's efforts.

"No way!" Gray shot back. "I'm the guy that's gonna be standing by Gorun on his wedding day! He's done too much for me not to be at his side!"

"He's done just as much for me!" Natsu argued. "Without him, I wouldn't have been able to avenge the damage done to our guild hall when we fought that psycho in Veronica! He fought for us during the games and the dragon invasion with everything he had! He taught me how to use my dad's magic in a whole new way! So don't think for a second that I'm gonna let that debt go unpaid!"

"Rrgh…" Gray took a deep breath, then redoubled his efforts to put out even more magic power, his icy blast forcing Natsu's back, little by little. "You've lost to me more times than not, Natsu… Why should this be any different?!"

"Because this time I ain't fightin' for something stupid, like I did when we were kids!" Natsu retorted. "This is something worth _fighting for_!" Suddenly Gray found his own magic being pushed back, even as Natsu's own power began to change in nature.

"What the…?"

" _Change mode!_ " Natsu screamed as crackles of electricity began to mix into his flaming magic. _"_ I've been savin' this one for a match I knew I'd eventually have with ya, Gray!" A yellow magic circle appeared between Natsu's hands and his Kamehameha before he bellowed, " _Lightning Flame Dragon's KAMEHAMEHA!_ " Electricity flew down the beam, tearing through his rival's Gallick Gun like a hot knife through butter, overwhelming the ice wizard in a titanic explosion of plasma that obscured him from view.

"Haha!" Natsu crowed. "I win! Take tha-!"

 _Wham!_ Gray leaped out from the dust cloud that had formed, a little singed, but otherwise unharmed as he kicked Natsu in the jaw, sending his rival reeling. "Next time you start bragging, you might wanna make sure your opponent is actually down!" he said with a grin.

"What the…?" Natsu grunted as he wiped blood off his mouth. "How'd the heck did you do that?!"

"You aren't the only that's been training for a rematch," Gray replied. "I've learned how to make ice clones that carry a little bit of my magic power in them. My copy kept up the blast just long enough for me to get out of the way."

"Nice trick, but that won't stop me!" Natsu declared. "Lightning Flame Dragon _Brilliant Thunder!_ "

"Ice-make: _Geyser!_ " Gray launched himself into the air with a pillar of ice just in time. Natsu's dual-element attack blew his technique to smithereens, a steam cloud mixing with the flying sand to make visibility all but impossible. However, that wasn't going to stop Gray from launching a counterattack. "Ice make… _Crescent Blades!_ " Boomerang-like projectiles shot down toward the steam cloud, and he was rewarded with the sound of Natsu yelling in surprise as he began his descent back down to the ground.

The second his feet touched the sand, it was over.

* * *

"Called it," Gorun chuckled as Gray returned up the slope, Natsu slung over his shoulder.

"No way!" Romeo exclaimed in disbelief.

"How did you know that would happen?" Yukino inquired as the ice wizard dumped his unconscious friend on the ground.

"Because Natsu has a tendency to fight harder, not smarter," Gorun shrugged. "Normally he can rely on brute force and tenacity to win a battle against an opponent, but without his dragon force, he was on more or less equal footing in this match. Which means it was more than likely that Gray would find a way to outmaneuver him."

"I also got a little lucky," Gray admitted. "He had me up in the air while he was hiding in that dust cloud, so I laid down some cover fire, which is when he gave his position away by yelling like an idiot. I just tried my best to land on top of him with an ice hammer."

"And that worked?" Wendy asked as she moved to heal Natsu.

"I believe the results speak for themselves," the half-naked boy answered. "Guess this means I'm the best man."

"That's so manly!" Elfman declared, setting everyone to laughing.

"Yes, it is," Gorun agreed as he shook hands with Gray. "Well done. I knew you had it in you."

"So you're saying you never expected Natsu to win?!" Happy demanded. "Jerk!"

"It was a possibility that he could have won, in which case I would have been happy to have by my side at the wedding," Gorun answered. "But I guess the saiyan part of me wanted to have the best fighter and friend with me on the most important day in my life."

"Now that we know what roll everyone is playing, it's time to begin the wedding planning!" Kinana said excitedly. "I've got some catalogues together for us girls to look at. Not sure what Gorun has in mind for the boys…" She looked a question at him, to which he merely grinned.

"We'll get started on our stuff after we've made the announcement to the guild," he assured her.

"Like hell we are," Gray said, surprising the groom-to-be. "We're gonna start planning your bachelor's party while the girls go in."

"We are?"

"You heard him, ladies," Kinana laughed as she witnessed Gorun's befuddlement. "Let's get to work."

Once all the female wizards had cleared out- which meant that Wendy had to leave Natsu sleeping by the fire with a murmured apology- Gorun turned to Gray and said, "Before you start planning anything, I have some absolute no-no's."

"I'm guessing that booze and strippers would be among those?" Gray asked.

"Yes."

"No worries. I've got something else in mind," the ice wizard chuckled.

Whatever it was that he had in mind, though, it was soon learned that they would have to wait some time to find out about it.

* * *

"Okay, explain this to me again," Gorun said with a slight frown as his and Natsu's teams were gathered around one of the dining hall tables, minus Lucy. Kinana and Yukino were also absent, having said that they were going to do some window shopping at a local boutique.

"Minerva was not the only one from our past that appeared during our escapade to the frozen giant's village," Erza replied. "We encountered the remnants of Atlas Flame's spirit, thanks in part to Natsu recognizing the flames that were all that was left of his body, and Wendy using a Secret Art that allows her to commune with the spirits of fallen dragons. He told us about a demon created by Zeref, a monster that surpasses all of his creations in its ferocity and power, even to this day. Apparently Igneel tried to destroy it in an age past, but was unable to do so."

"This thing is so powerful that the King of Fire Dragons couldn't take it down?" Azura asked with a wicked smile. "Now _this_ sounds like a battle worthy of a Super Saiyan god."

"Says the non-deity," Gorun snickered, earning him a vicious glare from his cousin.

"In any case, Atlas Flame asked our resident Salamander to look into this matter for the sake of himself, and Natsu's dad," Gray asserted.

"We got any clues on how to do that?" Romeo asked, looking over at Natsu, who had been unusually quiet the whole time.

"Just a name," the pinkette answered. "E.N.D."

Azura and Gorun straightened in their seats and looked at one another in surprise. "We've heard that name before," the girl told them. "When Kaidon and I fought the phoenix."

"Really?!" Natsu asked excitedly.

"The only thing we got out of the fire bird other than what you've already discovered is that this demon is also referred to as the 'King of the Underworld'," Gorun replied. "Ironically, I'm starting to think that this E.N.D. thing has been active as of late."

"You heard the rumors, then?" Gajeel said as he, Lucy, and Levy walked up, each carrying several books.

"I had, but my last job more or less adds support to them," Gorun replied. "We tangled with work of a necromancer, which is kind of what I would expect from Tartaros."

"The lead guild of the Baram Alliance?" Wendy squeaked as the other three wizards took their places at the table and started passing out books, one or two going to each guild member.

"Yeah, those guys," Gorun said with evident distaste. "When I put Cobra back in the custody of the Magic Council, he said something about the 'gates to the underworld busting open'. Apparently the nine strongest members in the order call themselves 'The Gates to the Underworld', so after Cobra's warning, it got me to thinking. Ever since then, Jellal and I have been keeping an ear to the ground for any activity from their members."

"How's that been going?" Lucy inquired as she started flipping through her book.

"Haven't had any solid leads until a couple weeks ago, and they're still investigating it," the quarter-kai answered. "By the way, what are all these books for, and why do I have one?"

"They're from Fairy Tail's library," Levy answered as she put on her wind-reader glasses. "Anything we have on the demons that Zeref has created."

"The Etherious, right?" Azura asked. "That's what the phoenix called itself."

"Yes," Levy nodded, words already flying before her eyes as she sped through the pages of her book. "Some are better known than others, like the demon Deliora, while others, like E.N.D., are more obscure."

"What'd this Deliora thing do that made it so famous?" Azura asked as she flipped through her own text.

She stopped mid-turn when Gray said in a cold voice, "He wasted most of the northern continent- where I'm from. Killed pretty much everyone I ever knew and loved, except for my friend, Lyon."

Azura held her position for a few moments before she finished turning the page, saying quietly, "You have my sympathy."

"What are the chances that we find out something about E.N.D. in these books that we don't already know?" Gorun asked in an attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"Not very high," Levy admitted. "Most stuff on Zeref and his creations are forbidden for the public to know about in any detail, so all we're likely to find is historical records."

"Hang on," Natsu said, a familiar spark in his eyes. "You said that this demon was supposed to be some bigshot with Tartaros, right?" He directed the question to Gorun and Azura.

"According to the phoenix, yeah," his friend nodded.

"Then let's go pick a fight with the Baram Alliance and get E.N.D. to come out and play," he said with a wicked grin. "I'll finish what Dad started!"

"Have you completely lost it?!" Lucy yelled at him, immediately wiping the smile off his face. "This is a friggin' _demon_ , Natsu! Like, from hell!"

"I know that!" he shot back. "The ones back on Galuna Island weren't so bad, though!"

"You really think that a group that leads the Baram Alliance is gonna be nice like they were?!"

"No, but maybe they're a bunch of pushovers like they were!"

" _Demon,_ Natsu!"

"Will you two just get a room, already?!" Azura snapped, setting Lucy's face aflame. "I can't read with you two bickering like a couple of Saiyan spouses!"

"W-We're not-!"

"She's not wrong," Gorun remarked, pointedly not looking up from his book. "Saiyan pairings do tend to fight a lot, even though there's a lot of love in it with most cases."

"W-We're not Saiyans!" Lucy sputtered. "And you should talk! You and Kinana never yell at each other!"

"He's a special case," Azura grumbled. "Show me a man that's not afraid to argue with his fists, then I might care to give him the time of day." Everyone at the table stared at her incredulously, in absolute silence, for several moments before she looked up and asked, "What?"

"You do realize that you've just described just about every guy in this guild?" Levy giggled softly.

"I meant someone who can take me on without me snapping him like a toothpick when I get serious," she said bitterly. "Most of the boys in here would tap out as soon as I go Super Saiyan. Even Erza here- supposedly one of the strongest mages in this guild- went down before I even turned on the blond."

"You caught me by surprise," Erza refuted. "Give me an honest fight, and I-"

"Erza?" Gorun said with a negative shake of his head. "No offense, but you couldn't even stand up to my Kaioken. No way are you standing up to her Super Saiyan."

"Perhaps not then, but you're not the only one that's been growing, Son Gorun," she said admonishingly. "Don't forget that it was all of us who stood by you against the phoenix."

"Fair enough," he nodded. "Still, don't underestimate Azura. Without my god form, I doubt I could defeat her now."

"Agh!" Natsu growled. "Who cares about that right now?! We should be tryin' to take down Tartaros, get at E.N.D.!"

"We _do_ have two of the strongest wizards in the world in our guild," Romeo pointed out. "The hardest part would likely just be finding them."

"There's something else," Levy announced as she stopped on a particular page in the third book she had been going through. "E.N.D. might not even be active yet."

"Come again?" Gray asked curiously.

"It says in this text that most of Zeref's demons are summoned from books that he wrote," the small bluenette replied without looking up. "And if E.N.D. is as powerful as we think it is, I find it very unlikely that it could be on the loose without us hearing something about it. I think that there's a very real probability it's still locked up in its book."

"Then I can't believe I'm sayin' it, but…" Gajeel muttered as he closed his own text. "I'm with Salamander."

"You are?!" most of the table asked him in shock.

Looking uncomfortable, the iron wizard replied, "He's got the right idea, especially if what Levy says is true. Why wait for things to get worse? What's stopping those Tartaros freaks from callin' up Zeref's favorite demon unless we stop 'em?"

"Maybe they don't have the right book for it," Lucy countered. "We've seen Zeref- he's alive, remember? It's possible that he has the book instead of Tartaros."

"But if he did, wouldn't it make sense for him to put it in the hands of his followers, or worse, assist them directly?" Wendy asked in a trembling voice. "If we go after Tartaros, we might end up going after Zeref, too. And he's immortal, right?"

"We killed one immortal, what's another?" Azura shrugged.

"The difference is that this is the guy who made that monster bird immortal," Gray answered. "Good rule of thumb for bad guys is that they never make anything stronger than they can control, unless it's on accident. Things usually get really messy whenever that happens."

"Exhibit A: Androids 17 and 18," Gorun mused aloud, getting a nod from Azura, but losing everyone else. Seeing their looks of confusion, he shook his head and said, "Long story."

"I still say we can take 'em," Natsu declared. "So what if they have a big stinkin' demon? We've stomped everyone else who's gotten in our way, even time-traveling dragons! We're more than ready!"

"At least one of you has the right attitude," Azura smirked.

"I don't necessarily disagree with him, the only issue facing us is that we have no idea where to look for Tartaros," Gorun said with a frown. "Our best bet would be the Magic Council, but we'd have an easier time putting down Zamasu than getting them to tell us anything voluntarily."

"Maybe Gramps has some strings he can pull," Gray suggested. "The Wizard Saints still carry a lot of influence in the wizarding world."

"That's assuming he goes along with your crazy plan, _which he won't!_ " Lucy yelled.

"Then maybe it's time I assert my own influence," Gorun said quietly, catching everyone by surprise.

"What're you talking about?" Happy asked. "You have connections in the council?"

"No," Gorun shook his head in the negative. "Not yet, anyway. There's something I should tell all of you, something that I've only shared with Kinana so far."

"Shocker," Azura said dryly, but he ignored her.

"After the battle with the dragons, Jura Neekos of Lamia Scale approached me… with an offer to have my name put in for consideration as one of the ten Wizard Saints," Gorun said slowly. "One of them is supposed to be under scrutiny right now, but just before I left with my team to go on the mission with Sabertooth, Jura contacted me to let me know that the guy just up and disappeared without a trace. He put me up for candidacy as soon as that happened, with my permission. And just this morning, I received another letter from him, asking that I teleport over to Lamia Scale this afternoon so that we could have a private discussion. I believe that the Magic Council may have granted their request to name me a Wizard Saint."

"Whoa," Gray said, eyes wide. Everyone else was displaying some combination of surprise or joy for their friend.

"Cool!" Natsu laughed. "This means we have three Saints in our guild! We really are number one in Fiore!"

"How come none of us heard about this before?" Romeo inquired.

"It wasn't a for sure thing- which it still isn't- and they didn't expect this Serena guy to just suddenly book it," Gorun shrugged. "Jura didn't think that they would be looking for a replacement for several months. Plus, I wanted time to think about it; you know, how it would affect my life, and that of my friends and future family."

"Then why say yes all of a sudden?" Levy asked.

"The Wizard Saints help represent the wizards in the guilds that are affected by the bureaucracy of the Magic Council," Gorun answered. "They help keep the council from going too far in its legislature in an indirect manner, though it's certainly not unheard of for a Wizard Saint to also sit on the Council."

"Like Siegrain," Erza muttered.

"He was Jellal's alias when sitting on the old council, yeah?" Gorun asked, to which Erza replied that he was correct. Moving on from that, he said, "This gives me an opportunity to more directly influence how the council deals with our guild and other allies that we have. Plus, as a Saint, I gain access to a lot of stuff that even most guild masters aren't allowed to see. Maybe something on E.N.D. will come up."

"You really think that the council would let a _third_ Fairy Tail wizard be a Wizard Saint?" The group turned in surprise to see Yukino and Kinana walking up to them, claiming their own seats at the table when they were close enough.

"Weirder things have happened," Gorun replied to Yukino as he made room for his fiancée to sit by him. "Hi, by the way."

"Hi," Kinana smiled happily. "What'd we miss?" Her expression quickly turned somber as Erza summarized the details of their discussion. "Seems there's a lot going on at once," she mused once the redhead had finished her explanation. "I would prefer to avoid tangling with Tartaros myself, but the odds are that even if we don't go looking for them, they'll wind up attacking the legal guilds- us included- at some point. Gorun told me that they're getting bolder in their movements."

"My concern exactly," Gorun nodded. "If a fight with them _is_ , in fact, inevitable, than I would rather confront them on our terms, not theirs'. And if E.N.D. happens to be among their number, then I'll count it as a bonus." Before Natsu could give out a snappy comment, he added, "Either way, I'll help you find this thing, Natsu. Saint or not, I'll help you carry on your father's work."

"Oh," the dragon slayer said meekly, mollified by his friend's promise. "Thanks, man."

"I'll help, too," Gray said with a grin at his frenemy. "You helped me out back on Galuna Island with Lyon and Deliora. No way I'm leaving that debt unpaid."

Before anyone else could add their support or object again, there was a crashing sound as the doors were all but thrown off their hinges. "Guys!" Jet said in a panic, Droy heaving deep breaths behind him. "We got some bad news! Like, really, _really_ bad news!"

Every eye in the guild hall turned toward the two of them, some people murmuring in fear, others simply wondering what could have caused such a stir. However, they didn't have to wait very long to find out.

"It's the council…" Droy huffed.

"They've all been killed!" Jet shouted, immediately throwing the guild hall into an uproar of confused voices and cries of shock.

" _Quiet!_ " Gorun roared as he smacked his hand on the table, unintentionally breaking it into pieces. Still, it got everyone to do what he wanted, so he promised himself to buy the guild a new one later. In a single bound, he cleared the space between him and the two Shadow Gear wizards, asking, "When did this happen? And how?"

"Just this morning!" Jet replied, his body still trembling from the shock of hearing the news himself. "There was some kind of explosion, and every single one of the council members and most of their staff were found dead in the rubble!"

Gorun frowned, deeply troubled by the news. He, like most guild wizards, did not much like the Magic Council, viewing them as puffed-up idiots that had more skill with paperwork and magic than they did with the people they were supposed to be serving. However, at no point did he ever wish for them to die, knowing that they did serve their purpose to the kingdom, despite their tendency to trouble his guild.

This presented a number of problems for wizards across the nation, and the general population as a whole. Technically, he supposed that until a new council could be established, the King's forces would have to uphold order among the legal guilds. Although, who knew how long it would be before another one of those could be thrown together?

 _Maybe the Wizard Saints will have some idea about all this,_ he thought as he made his way back to where his friends were waiting, having moved away from the destroyed table. Out loud, he said, "I'm going to get Master and meet up with any of the other Saints that he knows. If the council really is dead, then they're the most capable wizards to deal with this crisis."

"Be careful," Kinana told him as he started walking over to where Makarov was sitting at the bar, a distressed look on his face.

"I will," he promised over his shoulder. Then he moved quickly to stand before the old man, who was gripping his staff so tightly it was a wonder that the stick did not shatter. "Master?"

"Yes, my boy?" Makarov asked as he met his young comrade's gaze.

"We need to meet up with the other Wizard Saints, as many of them as we can," Gorun insisted. "Without the Magic Council, your peers are the only ones other than the king that stand a chance at keeping order among the guilds, and I can't think of a wizard out there that would like to be further governed by a non-magician."

"I'm aware, my boy," Makarov nodded. "I assume you wish to use your instant transmission to convene a meeting immediately?"

"Yes, sir," Gorun nodded. "This way, you can all decide on a course of action, and then I can return you all promptly to wherever it is you need to go."

"Yes, that would be wise, given the circumstances," his master agreed. "Very well- I will go inform Erza and Azura that they are in charge of the guild's defenses while we are gone. With Laxus and the Thunder Legion out of town, I'm not taking any chances."

"As you say, sir."

* * *

It was nearly midnight when the two wizards returned, and fortunately there had been no further incidents to report. Both Team Natsu and Team Golden Tail had stayed waiting for the return of their master and friend, despite everyone else having gone home for the night.

They were all relieved to see them safe, especially not having received word in more than twelve hours, but their faces were grim as they reappeared with Gorun's instant transmission, which worried their comrades.

"What happened?" Kinana asked. "Were the saints not able to agree on a course of action?"

"Not all of us could be found, which is troubling, but we did manage to gather six of the nine, myself included," Makarov answered her as he hopped up onto the bar, as to be more or less eye level with everyone else. "We had many things to discuss, but we managed to agree that those of us that are active members in a guild will be putting our resources toward two goals, one of which will be locating and destroying Tartaros. The other is to protect the former members of the magic council that are still alive."

"Why them?" Gray asked, confused. "I thought that whoever did this just wanted to take out our leaders."

"That is a probability, but we cannot discount the idea that the former members could be targets as well," their master replied. "That the council alone was targeted, and not the king's family, suggests that the perpetrators are not solely after the destabilization of our country's government. There must be something that they were after that only council members could give them."

"Fair point, but how could we possibly know what it is that the attackers were after?" Erza inquired. "Also, how does Tartaros fit into this?"

"A survivor from the attack says that someone from the Tartaros guild was responsible for it," Gorun answered. "The Magic Council was apparently about to declare a war of extermination on them, but I guess those monsters beat them to the punch."

"In any case, in the morning I will hold a briefing to inform the rest of the guild of the situation, and to assign teams to protect the former council members," Makarov asserted. "Some people are keeping an eye on them unobtrusively to avoid causing a further panic for now, but we agree that it would be better for their safety if a public display of force were to be demonstrated, should any other members of Tartaros come looking for them."

"Understood," Erza nodded. "Will you also be assigning teams to look for Tartaros?"

"No," Makarov said with a negative shake of his head, much to the surprise of his children. Even more intriguing was the way that the corners of Gorun's mouth turned even further downward as his master uttered his declination.

"That task has fallen to me," the Saiyan youth explained. "Once Master has explained everything to the others and sends out his teams, I'll be making one of my own to hunt down Tartaros, and eliminate them with extreme prejudice."

"Why you?" Azura demanded.

"Remember what we were discussing before I left?" he asked dryly.

"No way…" Lucy said, her eyes wide. "The council made you a Saint?"

"Ha!" Gorun snorted. "No, they did not. But since they're dead, and the other saints think it would be best if their numbers were at full strength, they collectively decided to ignore the late council's orders and name me a Wizard Saint anyway."

"Well, uh…? Congratulations?" Romeo said in the ensuing silence.

"And that pretty much sums up how I feel about the whole thing," Gorun said with a heavy sigh. "This is not how I wanted to get the position. Honestly, I didn't really want it in the first place."

"I'll take it," Azura volunteered, her tone snarky.

Shooting her a warning glare, Gorun added, "However, I know it's what is needed of me at the moment. As soon as a worthy successor comes along after this crisis is dealt with, I will happily step down."

"Until then, I'll support you however I can," Kinana told him.

"I've got your back, man," Romeo added.

"Wizard Saint or not, you're our leader, and we'll follow you wherever you need us," Yukino affirmed. "Even if it's to the gates of hell."

"I hate rule-breakers," Azura asserted. "And these monsters just killed all the rule-makers. Show me who to hit, and they'll wish they'd never been born."

"Didn't you break the rules to come after-?"

"Correct me again, Kaidon! _See what happens_!"

* * *

 **Azura: So, how have you been sleeping?**

 **Mataras: How have I been what now?**

 **Gorun: Are... Are you okay, man?**

 **Mataras: I feel pretty. And witty... And...**

 **Gorun: Uh...**

 **Mataras: Zzzz...**

 **Azura: That figures. Guess it's up to me to finish the announcements, then.**

 **Gorun: I'm still here.**

 **Azura: Like I said-**

 **Gorun: Don't you start.**

 **Azura: Fine, not in the mood, anyway. What do we have on the agenda?**

 **Gorun: Well, Mataras has something extra planned for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Not only will he be releasing the next installment for this story, he will also be putting up an OVA-styled chapter on Christmas Eve.**

 **Azura: Won't that kind of throw off the flow of this story?**

 **Gorun: Normally, yes, it would. However, Mataras will be creating a new story, titled 'Saiyan Tail Specials', where people that are familiar with this story can go enjoy some 'non-headcanon' stories every now and again. He'll put up a reminder for it once the new chapter goes live on this story, but he thought it would be good to give everyone a heads-up.**

 **Azura: What will this OVA be centered around? Do we get a hint?**

 **Gorun: Something about trying to get Laxus a Christmas present...?**

 **Azura: What? Why would they do that? None of us are particularly close to him.**

 **Gorun: Don't ask me. I'm just the middleman.**

 **Azura: Next time on Saiyan Tail- Settlement**

 **Gorun: Soon coming to Saiyan Tail Specials- An Electric Christmas**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

"I think we're gonna have to put our plans on hold for now…" Cobra said, his ears suddenly pricking up. "We got company." Whirling around, he pointed up the path that they had come from, indicating a trio of figures, all dressed in blue.

"Jellal Fernandez," said Angel, a beautiful young woman with long white hair. "I guess it would be too good to be true if we just got away, scot-free."

"Is this how Doranbolt plans to deal with us?" Cobra smirked. "Fine, then. We just got our freedom, and I'll be damned if it's taken away from us again."

"Your version of freedom is a lie," Jellal declared as he held up a hand, signaling for his two comrades to hold their position, much to their surprise.

"Jellal, wait!" Urtear said sharply. "You're not really planning on fighting them all alone, are you?"

"This is my debt to repay," he answered solemnly. "I won't have you and Meredy fighting a battle that isn't yours."

"Stupid move!" Racer shouted, already appearing in front of Jellal at lightning speed. "You move so slow, I was already getting bored!"

 _Blam!_

The speedy wizard was smashed into the ground faster than the gathered wizards' eyes could track. One second, he had been about to slug Jellal in the face, the next he was groaning in a smoking crater in the ground. It didn't take Cobra long to figure out what happened, though. His ears pricked again at the sound of footsteps on gravel, and he turned to look up at a familiar face amid a raging aura of gold.

"You," he growled.

"Me," Son Gorun agreed. "How's about we make this easier on everyone? Let me take you back to your cells, and no one here has to get hurt." Noticing Racer getting slowly to his feet, he added, "That was your one warning shot, by the way. Don't make me hurt an old friend of Kinana's."

"Leave Cubellios out of this!" Cobra shouted angrily. "You've got the girl, so what are you here for?!"

"Same reason as him," Gorun shrugged as he gestured to Jellal, who had yet to move from the spot where Racer had tried to attack him. "Repaying a debt. Doranbolt asked me to handle you guys, so I will. Fortunately for you, I don't believe in killing people if I can avoid it, but I do have to ask; what's the healthcare like in prison?"

* * *

Time Patrol Special

"Be sure to turn in your assignments by Monday morning," Levy said as her students began to pack their materials into their bags, having heard the bell for dismissal. "Have a good weekend, guys!"

Most of her students returned the farewell as they left the room, the hallway echoing with the sound of excited students heading out to enjoy their days of rest. The most dedicated students, she knew, would spend the next two days honing their combat skills, hoping that they would get to be a part of the elite Time Patrollers that were sent on missions to repair primary temporal disturbances in each of the eighteen universes. Most recruits in the organization were deployed to handle tasks in fragmented timelines that were a result of major damage done to the original flow of time; missions that required lower power levels and skill.

Levy qualified for such missions, and had even gone on a few, but she preferred to stay in Conton, teaching the next generation the skills necessary to make sound decisions on the fly, as well as more subtle techniques that allowed them to make better use of whatever battle power they possessed, even the lower ones. Lucy, for example, was considered one of the weaker members of the Time Patrol overall, but she made up for it with magical versatility and sharp thinking. She had recently been qualified to handle stealthy missions concerning the timelines of the sixteenth universe, which granted her access to the Time Vault- which just so happened to contain the scroll pertaining to their home, Universe 17. As such, she had been able to keep an eye on what their old guild was up to, and share the stories with her friend, giving them both a greater peace of mind about their exile to the Time Patrol.

Even as Levy finished putting away some of her textbooks, she heard a knock at the door, and the words, "Busy day?"

"Hey, Lu," the bluenette said with a smile as she turned to face her friend, who was standing just inside the entrance. "It wasn't too bad, but I gotta say, that Majin kid, Juju? He's gonna drive me crazy if he keeps munching on chocolate pretzels while I'm trying to teach old Namekian."

"I'd offer to rough him up, but I'm pretty sure he'd turn me into candy if I tried," Lucy shrugged. "Have you talked to Principal Gohan about it?"

"Not yet," Levy sighed. "I was gonna catch him at the next teacher's conference on Wednesday."

"Why not talk to him tomorrow?" Lucy offered, surprising her guild mate.

"Come again?"

"Pan is gonna be a part of the figure battles tomorrow evening, so I'm sure that he's gonna be there to watch her," Lucy shrugged. "You should probably talk to him before the quarter-finals, though, cos that's when our slots match up."

"Provided she makes it that far," Levy giggled. "Thanks for letting me know, though."

"No problem," Lucy smiled back. "By the way, big news for Gorun back home. He and Kinana are gonna announce their engagement to the guild pretty soon."

"That's wonderful," Levy replied happily. "I wish I coulda met the guy, but I'm really happy for Kinana. She was always such a sweetie."

"Maybe we'll get to watch the wedding in real-time," Lucy replied. "Until then, I've got a tournament to get ready for."

"You got a plan for Bardock this time?" Levy asked as she grabbed her bag and went to lock up the classroom.

"Oh yeah," Lucy snickered. "That spiky-haired brute will never know what hit him."


	28. Settlement

**A/N: Merry Christmas, fellow readers. As I'm unfortunately not feeling too good as I write this, I'm going to be brief.**

 **I'm sorry that I haven't made a response video for the last couple of chapters like I normally do, but I will get around to it as soon as I am able. It's one of my favorite parts of writing this story, really, so it'll be back soon.**

 **Also, don't forget that I have a new story up that is titled 'Saiyan Tail Specials', which will feature OVA-styled chapters every now and again. The first one is called 'An Electric Christmas', and I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope that you guys have fun reading it.**

 **And speaking of fun reading...**

* * *

 _War of the Underworld: Chapter 1_

Settlement

Fairy Tail was in the clutches of despair, and there were three of its wizards that were feeling the weight of sorrow with a far more acute sense than any of the others. The first was Makarov, his family having just received the news that Laxus and his Thunder Legion were deathly ill following the attack of a member of Tartaros, who had converted his flesh into bane particles- otherwise known as anti-magic particles- before the lightning wizard could put him down. They, along with Master Yajima, a former Magic Council member, would be coming in a matter of hours to receive medical treatment from Porlyusica. Unfortunately, about a hundred citizens of Fiore were not so lucky, and had died as a result of the Tartaros man's self-destruct magic.

The other two feeling the depressing weight on their shoulders were Kinana and Gorun, having had one of the happiest weeks in their lives suddenly turned on its head. The night that they were to announce their engagement had been interrupted with the alarming news that the entire Magic Council had been murdered. Further adding to the weight on his own shoulders, Gorun had been named a Wizard Saint, and was now tasked with tracking down the Tartaros guild so that the legal guilds could wage war proper against them. In less trying times, he would have considered the position a great honor, but because circumstances had more or less thrust the role upon him, he wasn't exactly thrilled about it.

 _And I have no idea where to start looking for them,_ he thought grimly. He had been collaborating with Jellal and Crime Sorcière for the last year in order to take down many key players in the Baram Alliance, but the lead guild had always managed to elude their detection. The only solid lead that Gorun had been able to track down was currently being pursued by his allies in the shadows, and he had no way of contacting them right now.

He suspected that someone in Tartaros had been responsible for the actions of a necromancer off the coast of Fiore, having encountered an entire battleship's worth of the living dead, but there was no real proof to back his theory. Not to mention that if there had been any clues on the ship carrying the walking cadavers, it was lost to him now, having been destroyed by his own efforts alongside Sabertooth's twin dragon slayers.

Now, having been ready to organize their guild members into teams to protect the former council members and track down Tartaros, they had received the news of Laxus' team fighting for their lives. Makarov had ordered him to stand down for now, so that they could wait and see his grandson before going out into the fray.

Gorun could hardly blame the old man for wanting some time to take in what had happened, but all the same, he felt that they should be acting _now_ , before anything else awful happened. So it was that he was wrestling with himself when his team came to sit with him at his table, a plate of untouched food sitting in front of him.

"Wow, you must really be messed up," Romeo said with a grimace as he sat across from his leader. "I don't think I've ever seen you _not_ eat before."

"Me too," Gorun said with a wry grin. "To be fair though, I don't think that I've ever felt this much pressure, either."

"At least you're not running away from your responsibility this time," Azura said with something that sounded close to sympathy. "And since I'll mark that as a significant improvement on your part, allow me to ask… How can we help you?"

Gorun blinked at her a few times, surprised beyond belief that she was volunteering to help him without first berating him savagely for his indecision. "Honestly…" he sighed heavily. "I'm open to ideas. I have no idea how on Earthland I'm supposed to find a guild that's spent the last several decades avoiding detection of all kinds. If anyone else has an idea for how to find them, please, help me." He knew that he wouldn't be able to enact whatever plan he came up with until he had Makarov's approval, but it didn't hurt to be prepared.

"Levy has been trying to look up places that they've been seen before to see if we can establish a pattern of movement," Kinana informed him. "The problem is, they almost never leave survivors wherever they're active, so it's hard to scrap up anything in the way of locational data."

"I'll ask my spirits if they know anything about Tartaros," Yukino volunteered. "If memory serves, the celestials and the followers of Zeref have some history between them. Perhaps Lucy and I can collaborate on this matter."

Gorun nodded quickly, saying, "See if you can get her Crux spirit on the job- he's supposed to know a lot of stuff, right?"

"Right away," the silver-haired girl nodded as she stood up and moved to find her peer.

"What can I do?" Romeo asked eagerly.

"Go help Levy," Gorun told him, somewhat to his friend's dismay. "I'll have someone go get you the minute that Makarov gives us the green flag to move out- assuming we have enough information to go on."

"Kay," Romeo sighed, still apparently unsatisfied with his task, but moving to do as he was asked, regardless.

As he walked away, Gorun turned to Kinana and said, "Can you please stay in here so that we know when Master is ready to get moving?"

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked him.

"Genora and I are going to train," he announced, surprising the both of them. "I need to do _something_ active, and we've already got plenty of people doing research as it is. Besides, I need to try and help her tap into the god form on her own, especially if these Tartaros monsters are as powerful as everyone says they are."

"You really expect to be able to do that in just a few hours?" Kinana asked him dubiously.

" _The greatest power comes in response to a need, not a desire_ ," Gorun and Azura said in unison, then trading looks of surprise. Apparently it had not been a planned response on their part.

Shaking himself, Gorun explained, "So far it's just been more or less a competition between her and I, this goal of hers' to reach the god level. Now, though…"

"I must do this," Azura asserted. "Since this place is the only home I'll ever know now, I need to be strong enough to protect it from threats like this. Just like Vegeta was with Earth, so shall I become a guardian of Earthland."

"Finally coming around, huh?" Gorun teased her, prompting her to glare at him. "Sorry, let's get to work."

* * *

"Are these precautions really necessary?"

"You have not seen what I have described, Franmalth," said Keyes, a skeletal demon skilled in the arts of necromancy. "Humans are beneath us, yes, and so the majority of Fiore's guilds prove no match for the might of the Etherious. However, there are now two in the ranks of Fairy Tail- which according to Silver's reports and my own observations- that likely find their strength in the bloodline of something not of human origins."

"What then, are they celestials?" his comrade scoffed. Franmalth was another demon, strange to look at, even by the standards of others of his kind, what with his striped, round body that lacked a head, and lanky limbs that seemed to be as flexible as rope. "Even those moronic star-dwellers can't stand up to Sir Mard, so what are you so worked up about? This isn't gonna be cheap, you know!"

As they walked among the stasis chambers, Keyes paused in front of a particularly large one as he answered, "Overconfidence serves no purpose, even for beings such as we. Besides, think of it this way- should we succeed against this new threat, we will be that much closer to returning to Lord Zeref."

"Fine, fine," Franmalth grumbled as he walked on without looking back. "Let me know when the preparations are done. Lady Kyoka wants to be on the move sooner rather than later."

"Soon," Keyes muttered as he gazed into the dark tank, his vacant eyes underlined by a cruel smile. "What is the saying of these humans…? Third time's the charm?" So saying, he walked away, leaving a naked Minerva to continue her transformation from a dead human into a living Etherious.

* * *

"Ha… ha…" Genora breathed heavily, wiping sweat from her brow. She and Kaidon had been sparring nonstop on a small island chain far enough away to avoid causing damage to the city for nearly three hours now, with no sign from Kinana that it was time to return as of yet.

"Break time?" Kaidon suggested, brushing his fingers through his lengthy hair to rid it of his own sweat.

"Fine, five minutes," she huffed as she began floating down toward the ground, releasing her Mystic transformation simultaneously. After touching down, she muttered, "This is going slower than I would have hoped."

"Still can't sense my energy?" her cousin asked as he landed next to her, his red hair fading to black as he resumed his normal form.

"I can feel the pressure of your presence in the atmosphere around me, but no, I still can't actually track your energy," she grumbled. "Of course you'd be the one to be able to retain the god form. Not as though you've already got a tail to help you along." She was angry that, despite her best efforts so far, she had only been able to surpass Kaidon but once, and even then she had been defeated in combat, thanks to the Dragon Slayers of Fairy Tail. Now, with a new threat looming, one comparable to the phoenix, she found herself falling behind him yet again.

 _I will not be outdone by him this time,_ she vowed.

"Maybe we're approaching this the wrong way," the boy muttered as he stared off at the ocean. "You've already harnessed divine ki, and you clearly grew stronger for it, which means that the potential has to be in there, somewhere. Trying to lock onto my energy signature in order to replicate it has thus far failed, but I refuse to believe that you've lost the power completely…"

"I keep trying to raise my power level to what I remember experiencing during our battle over Veronica," Genora told him. "But no matter how high I go, the divine light eludes me."

"Well then, that's the issue," Kaidon said as he turned to her, a surprised look on his face. "Ascension to the god form doesn't require raising your strength an absurd amount- it does that on its own. You have to change the nature of your ki in order to tap into that power. Actually, wait, no… _Change_ is the wrong word, more like you have to _shift_ it."

"Care to elaborate?" she asked sardonically. "In case you forgot, we're on something of a time crunch."

"Shut up, I'm trying to," he grumbled. "Okay, bear with me on this. Try to imagine your ki as a set of the primary colors- yellow, red, and blue. Yellow is the color we normally paint with, right? Super Saiyan."

"You're trying to teach me to ascend… with art?" Genora asked, maintaining her flat tone.

"Hey, I'm the one with the divine energy figured out, take it or leave it," Kaidon shot back. When she stayed quiet, he gave a satisfied nod and continued, saying, "People often overcomplicate that which should be so simple. Whenever I can't figure out a problem, I always try to go back and examine it with the basest elements. So yeah, I am gonna teach you how to harness god ki with a color wheel."

Pausing to gather his thoughts, he then added, "Close your eyes, and reach for you ki- don't grasp it or raise it just yet."

Genora considered giving him a retort before complying, but as annoying as he was, Kaidon was able to transform into the god form on command. She would follow his lead- for now.

Closing her eyes, she reached for the power that was first nature for her people, but did not utilize it in any capacity, like Kaidon ordered her to. Having sensed that, he said, "Good. Now, unlike Super Saiyan, which requires rage, or channeling energy into your spine and then outside your body, you're going to focus on making that 'yellow' energy turn red, and spread it throughout your whole body. Try to send it along your bones instead of your normal ki paths- remember that you're changing the nature of your very existence when you're doing this, not just powering up your muscles and removing limiters on your consciousness in order to release more energy."

Genora began to breathe in and out slowly, concentrating on doing what he had described. As she gazed within herself, she forced her inner eye to view the vast pool of energy that belonged to her as a crimson color, like that of a light shining through a ruby. As soon as she felt that she had done so, she willed that power to spread throughout her body, etching the altered energy into the marrow of her existence.

As she did, she became aware of a vast, swirling maelstrom of power in front of her, unlike anything she had ever- _No…_ she thought slowly as she opened her eyes. _I've felt this before._

She blinked in surprise as she stared at her cousin, once again clad in a fiery red aura that matched his eyes and hair. _I can sense him,_ she thought in wonder as she looked down at herself, eyes widening as she saw that same divine aura encasing her own body.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Kaidon grinned at her.

Meeting his eyes once again, she replied simply, "Thank you."

His gaze softening just a little, he answered, "You're welcome, Genora."

* * *

Kinana was surprised when the two of them returned on their own, coming through the door looking like they had been run over by a train. "Did you two go overboard?" she asked as they plopped down at one of the tables without a word.

"We made significant progress," Gorun answered with a tired grin. "She's gonna need some practice holding up, but now she better understands the god ki."

"So that's why I couldn't tell where you were for the last hour," the purple-haired girl said as she sat down beside him. "You finally did it?" This part was addressed to Azura, who bridled indignantly.

"What do you mean, 'finally'?" she grumbled. "The only ones to use the power of the Super Saiyan god without the advantage of divine heritage had to train for months before they could use it on their own, and here I've done it a matter of weeks."

"This is true," Gorun nodded. "She's really outdone herself- I think Grandpa Vegeta would be very proud."

"And simultaneously furious," Azura added, causing them both to laugh, which surprised Kinana. This was the best she'd seen them get along since the blue-haired girl had come into their lives. Perhaps now that they were closer to standing on equal footing in combat, they would be amicable towards one another in the other aspects of their life. _At least, if Goku and Vegeta are anything to go by,_ she thought with a hidden smile. _There's Natsu and Gajeel, too…_

* * *

The good cheer was short-lived, as the Thunder Legion and Master Yajima were brought in not ten minutes later, immediately being rushed to the infirmary, where Porlyusica was already waiting to treat their illness. No one was allowed to visit the infirmary except for the healer and Makarov, on the off-chance that the bioweapon was contagious.

So it was left- unofficially- for Gorun to explain the situation as best he could to the rest of the guild. After gathering the members together, he stood up on the stage that was normally used for music performances and the like, with Azura standing beside him. Gazing out at the small sea of faces in front of him, he swallowed nervously, knowing that they were looking to someone, _anyone_ , to explain what on Earthland had been happening over the last few days.

Then he steeled himself and began to speak, saying, "Hello, everyone. I'm sure you've heard bits and pieces of what's been going on in the last forty-eight hours, but I do believe it's time that you all know the full picture. As Master Makarov is tending to Laxus and his comrades, I'll fill you in. Firstly, as to why I'm the one doing so, the Wizard Saints of Fiore have named me one of them, as of yesterday afternoon." There was a ripple of surprise throughout the crowd, so he held up a hand for silence. Once they had settled down, he continued, "Part of the reason for them doing so was that- as I'm certain all of you already know about- the magic council was annihilated yesterday morning. What's less known is that one of the Emperors of Ishgar has fled our country to places unknown, and the other Saints feel it best that they are at full strength for the task that lies ahead."

"So are we gonna pulverize the bastards that did this to Laxus and the others, or not?!" Natsu shouted impatiently.

"Yes," Gorun nodded sharply. "However, this will not be an easy task, particularly given who our enemies are. Not to mention we must shield any other potential targets from their wrath… 'They' being the head of Baram Alliance: Tartaros."

He paused to allow for the inevitable uproar that the name would undoubtedly cause. He was not wrong- there was a lot more shouting and cries of disbelief and fear this time, and knew it was important to allow those fears to be recognized, rather than telling them to shut up and not allow them at least a few moments to process the vast task that had been given to them. And it was no small task indeed- Tartaros had been at the top of the council's most wanted list for decades, before a lot of the members present had even been born. No sane wizard would ever want to go near them, much less hunt them down or take a direct stand against them.

When Gorun felt that an appropriate amount of time had passed, he called for silence once again. As soon as things had died down enough for him to be heard over the subdued voices, he said, "I know this isn't ideal, but we don't have much choice. The council has been murdered, and with the attack on Master Yajima from a member of Tartaros, it is more than likely that the other former members are in grave danger, too. Now we are a guild filled with some of the most powerful wizards in all of Fiore. As such, it falls to us- among other guilds of influence- to protect the remaining former council members, and hunt down the people responsible for this. And if possible, we need to determine _why_ the council members, current and former, are being targeted."

"We'll be splitting up into teams to handle both of these tasks simultaneously," Azura said when her cousin paused for breath. "The old man has been putting out feelers, trying to find out where the former council members are now, but as of yet, we have nothing. Until such a time as we do know, we are to remain idle. Postpone any job requests, as Makarov and Kaidon here will likely need every available wizard ready to go at the drop of a hat."

Nodding in appreciation, Gorun now addressed the guild once more. "I know I'm not the guild master," he told them. "I can't actually give you any binding orders. I only ask that as fellow member of this guild, that you wait with us as we prepare to confront this threat. Besides…" He set his jaw as he concluded, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't much like the idea of allowing Tartaros to roam freely after what they did to Laxus and the others. If I recall correctly, Fairy Tail doesn't allow those that hurt our family to get off lightly, _do we_?!"

" _NO!_ " the crowd roared angrily, bringing a dangerous smile to his face.

"Then get ready for war!" he shouted back as he raised his hand upwards in the sign of the Fairy Tail salute. "Tartaros is going to regret the day that they raised a fist against us!" This time when the guild erupted with noise, it was not filled with the sounds of hopelessness and despair. These were the sounds of the enraged and valiant.

Gorun was about to go join the rest of his comrades when he noticed someone in the back- a person that did not join in the revelry, but simply stood there with a stoic expression on his face. It took him a moment, but he finally recognized Doranbolt- the man that had helped to keep his true powers a secret from the magic council, in return for a favor. _Has he come to collect?_

"Come with me," he said to Azura as he started to walk off the stage. "I get the feeling that someone has come to call in a favor. If I have to leave, you're in charge of the team until I return."

"How long do you assume you'll be?" she asked him as she followed suit so that they could keep talking in somewhat lowered tones.

"Ask him," Gorun answered as he pointed at Doranbolt, who was beginning to make his own approach.

The instant that they came within speaking distance, the other man said in a lowered tone, "We need to talk in private."

* * *

"You let him go?!" Gorun seethed, causing the other wizard to flinch. "Not only that, you let the entire guild out of prison without any idea of where they're headed?!" He and the former council employee had teleported to Gorun's house, and were now arguing on his front lawn.

"I had to!" Doranbolt shouted back. "He knew about Tartaros and their goals! Given my options, I decided on the lesser of two evils!"

Gorun glared at the man for a few moments before he growled, "Fine. Tell me their release was at least worth something that'll help us sort out this whole mess."

"It was," the scarred man replied. "Tartaros is after a weapon called 'Face'. I'm not entirely sure what it does, as it was a secret from all but any members of the Magic Council. Whatever it is, though, it seems that Tartaros needs to kill council members in order to get it."

"You're sure they're not trying to extract the information somehow?" Gorun inquired with a heavy frown.

"No, they're definitely going straight for the kill," Doranbolt said with a negative shake of his head. "The monster that destroyed the council… I saw him. Called himself Jackal, used some sort of explosion magic. He never even asked any questions of them, he just murdered them without flinching." He shuddered at the memory, and Gorun felt a little sorry for him.

"All right, so what does this all have to do with us?" Azura asked, having stayed mostly quiet for the meeting. "Our guild already has plans to protect the former members of the council, along with a few other guilds and the Ten Wizard Saints. We're also attempting to find out where Tartaros is."

"I wasn't finished yet," Doranbolt told them. "Cobra revealed a particularly disturbing piece of information before I let him go. He said that the Nine Gates aren't mere followers of Zeref- they're not even human."

Gorun felt a chill run down his spine as he interjected, "Let me guess- they're all Etherious."

"Demons of Zeref's creation, yes," Doranbolt said heavily. "They seek their master, and apparently 'Face' has something to do with them being able to find him."

"That is unsettling, but what does it change for us?" Azura asked. "Our course of action must remain the same, whether they be demons or human fanatics."

"True, but your comrade here owes me a debt," the human wizard told her. "As I'm sure you've already surmised, I've come to collect on that debt."

"And it couldn't wait until after we finish dealing with a _national crisis_?" Gorun growled.

"No, it can't," Doranbolt shot back. "Because I need you to meet up with Jellal and deal with the Oracion Seis."

Gorun blinked a couple of times in surprise before he asked, "Why us?"

"Because I gave them my word that I wouldn't go after them," the other man answered. "But I can't in good conscience allow that guild to run around freely while we also have to face Tartaros. With you and Jellal working together, I am confident that you can subdue them quickly enough to return to the crisis at hand."

"Go," Azura said before Gorun could think on it. "We'll handle things here until you get back." When he turned to argue, she shook her head and said, "You made a promise, and I suggest that you keep it, unless you want me to knock your teeth out. You've broken enough promises, I say. Go, kick this guild into the dirt, then come back. Fairy Tail will be waiting for you when you do."

"…All right," he muttered. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Me, that's no problem," Azura said with a smirk. "The guild… Well, no promises."

"Fair enough." Turning back to Doranbolt, he asked, "Where are they?"

"Jellal planned to intercept them in the mountains outside Crocus," the man answered. "Fly out there, and once you get close enough, I'm sure you'll be able to sense him."

"Protect them, Genora," Gorun commanded before he vanished into the sky.

Nonetheless, she replied, "Until your return, Kaidon."

* * *

He met up with Crime Sorcière at the foot of the mountains several hours later, just where Doranbolt had predicted they would be. As he descended upon them, he lowered his power level until it nearly bottomed out, as to hide himself from any unfriendly eyes.

"Gorun," Jellal nodded as he landed. "It's good to see you."

"As always, I wish our reunion was under better circumstances," the black-haired boy replied grimly. "Doranbolt already filled you in, I assume?"

"He came to us first, said he'd send you here within a few hours," Urtear answered from within her blue hood. "Fortunately for us, the Seis don't seem to be in any hurry."

"No doubt enjoying the feeling of fresh air and a chance to stretch their legs after seven years in prison," Meredy chimed in. "Let's not give 'em a chance to get used to it."

"Then grab on, so we can get moving," Gorun said as he held out his hand. "I've got work to do back at Fairy Tail, and I doubt that you guys were being idle when Doranbolt found you."

* * *

 **Begin Soundtrack: Nora Tan (by Taku Iwasaki)**

* * *

"Well, that's that," Cobra said in a satisfied tone as he stood over the corpse of his former guild master. Glancing over his shoulder, he asked, "I take it you don't have a problem with this, eh, Macbeth?"

"Not at all," said a young man with black-and-white hair. He shrugged indifferently as he looked at the body of their fallen leader and murmured, "You may have gathered us, Father, but that's about the only good thing you ever did."

"True freedom, at long last," said a blond man with a long, sharp nose. "Now I guess the question is what we should do with it?"

"I'm hoping to go out and find my brother, oh yeah!" declared Hoteye, a large, blocky man dressed in the robes of a priest.

"I think we're gonna have to put our plans on hold for now…" Cobra said, his ears suddenly pricking up. "We got company." Whirling around, he pointed up the path that they had come from, indicating a trio of figures, all dressed in blue.

"Jellal Fernandez," said Angel, a beautiful young woman with long white hair. "I guess it would be too good to be true if we just got away, scot-free."

"Is this how Doranbolt plans to deal with us?" Cobra smirked. "Fine, then. We just got our freedom, and I'll be damned if it's taken away from us again."

"Your version of freedom is a lie," Jellal declared as he held up a hand, signaling for his two comrades to hold their position, much to their surprise.

"Jellal, wait!" Urtear said sharply. "You're not really planning on fighting them all alone, are you?"

"This is my debt to repay," he answered solemnly. "I won't have you and Meredy fighting a battle that isn't yours."

"Stupid move!" Racer shouted, already appearing in front of Jellal at lightning speed. "You move so slow, I was already getting bored!"

 _Blam!_

The speedy wizard was smashed into the ground faster than the gathered wizards' eyes could track. One second, he had been about to slug Jellal in the face, the next he was groaning in a smoking crater in the ground. It didn't take Cobra long to figure out what happened, though. His ears pricked again at the sound of footsteps on gravel, and he turned to look up at a familiar face amid a raging aura of gold.

"You," he growled.

"Me," Son Gorun agreed. "How's about we make this easier on everyone? Let me take you back to your cells, and no one here has to get hurt." Noticing Racer getting slowly to his feet, he added, "That was your one warning shot, by the way. Don't make me hurt an old friend of Kinana's."

"Leave Cubellios out of this!" Cobra shouted angrily. "You've got the girl, so what are you here for?!"

"Same reason as him," Gorun shrugged as he gestured to Jellal, who had yet to move from the spot where Racer had tried to attack him. "Repaying a debt. Doranbolt asked me to handle you guys, so I will. Fortunately for you, I don't believe in killing people if I can avoid it, but I do have to ask; what's the healthcare like in prison?"

" _Poison Dragon ROAR!_ " A purple-black mist spewed out of Cobra's mouth at Gorun, who vanished from his line of sight before the attack could land.

"Apparently, it's great!" the saiyan hybrid grinned before he kicked Cobra at Jellal, who began to exchange blows with him at a rapid pace, even as Racer joined in on the fight.

Turning to look at the other three members that remained, he asked, "All right, which one of you gutter punks is next?"

"Actually, I'm not looking to fight anybody, oh yeah," Richard said as he smiled and backed away. "I was hoping to go looking for my brother, Wally, is all."

"Are you kidding me?!" Angel shouted at him. "These guys aren't gonna give us any choice in the matter if we get captured again! We have to fight them!"

"Now, now," Midnight said in a peaceable tone. "Hoteye has the right to do what he wishes with his new freedom. If he does not wish to take up arms, then we have no right to tell him otherwise." Turning back to Gorun, he added, "I, on the other hand, will not be so agreeable."

"Don't remember your compliance as being… a factor…" the boy muttered distractedly as he peered closely at Angel. "Wait a sec… Are you- _Whoa!_ " His exclamation was brought out when he felt a disturbance in the air that he ducked under, which likely saved his life. The rocks behind him were cut more cleanly than any blade could have ever made, and only a faint brushing of the wind told him that some invisible force had passed him by.

"Hey, I was in the middle of talking!" he growled at Midnight, who shrugged indifferently.

"Don't remember caring," he replied.

"Oh, look at me, I'm Midnight," Gorun shot back sardonically. "My name sounds like a stripper's, and I can parrot back insults three seconds after I've heard 'em!" This befuddled the young man, while Angel started giggling. Hearing this, the saiyan boy added, "Yours' isn't any better!"

Off to the side, his sensitive ears picked up on Meredy saying, "Is it just me, or does Gorun seem cranky today?"

"Oh no, Meredy, I've got nothing to complain about!" he shouted loud enough to be heard by the girl, who yelped in surprise. "I'm just here fighting a bunch of murderers- one of whom seems to have a thing for my fiancée- while the rest of Fairy Tail gets ready to go up against a guild full of demons, when I _should_ be celebrating my engagement with my guild mates! _Nothing_ wrong here!"

"Then stop toying with them and get serious already!" Jellal grunted as he countered a blow from Racer while kicking Cobra in the head to stun him. "Why are you holding back?!"

"I could ask you the same thing!" Gorun shouted back as he began to charge a Kamehameha, which immediately set Midnight on edge as he felt the sheer power building up in front of him. "Where's that Heavenly Body Magic I saw the last time we teamed up?!"

"I asked first," Jellal grinned as he leaped to be back-to-back with his friend. "What's your reason?"

"Her," Gorun answered as he jerked his chin at Angel. "There's something familiar about her… Something I need to ask her about."

"Sorano?" Jellal inquired. "What about her?"

"I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out myself!" Gorun answered as he fired the etherion blast at Midnight, who simply redirected it around his head. "Just keep everyone else off of me until I get some answers!" With that, he unleashed his second Saiyan Soul spell before shooting towards Angel faster than the eye can follow. "Time for a chat!" he shouted above her yelp of surprise. Grabbing her by the arm, they shot off toward a gap in the mountain range.

* * *

He cleared fifty miles in the time it takes to blink, then stopped abruptly, tossing the scantily-clad woman in the dirt. She was on her feet quickly enough, but before she could use magic against him, he held up a finger and said, "I really wouldn't do that if I were you. Take a look around, and you'll see why."

Keeping her guard up when he made no hostile moves, she did so, realizing that they were standing in a place where some sort of explosion had removed several of the mountains that had once filled the skyline. "What's your point?" she asked him, still wary of any attacks he might use.

"I did this during the Grand Magic Games," Gorun replied as lighting danced across his body amid the golden aura. "And I wasn't nearly as strong then as I am now. So unless you want the same treatment as these rocks, you're gonna answer my questions, and you're gonna do it without any backtalk."

"Nice try," Angel grinned mischievously. "You already said you don't kill people unless you absolutely have to."

"True," the young man nodded. "However, I can send you back to prison looking a lot less pretty than you do now."

"Aw, you think I'm pretty?" she said in a mock-sweet tone. "How about you and I get-"

"For the love all things good in the multiverse, don't finish that sentence," Gorun said quickly. "Just… Answer a few questions, and then we can get back to fighting each other, okay?"

"Counteroffer," Angel said as she clicked her fingers, summoning a swarm of white puffballs armed with razor-sharp teeth that seemed to be eyeing him hungrily. "I have my messenger angels gobble you up while I go on my merry way." With a flippant wave of her hand, she swarmed the boy with her creatures, then turned on her heel to start walking back toward the others.

"Hey!" Gorun shouted from within the maelstrom of white. "I'm not done with you!"

"Be quiet, little boy," she said over her shoulder. "Angels don't concern themselves with the likes of you, except to smite you where you stand."

His response stopped her in place as she felt a strange shift in his magic power; becoming less tangible, though he was still giving off an intense vibe from within the cloud of creatures that she called angels. "What is an angel to a god?" he demanded as she then felt his energy completely vanish.

She smiled as she turned back to face the sight of her minions gobbling up her attacker. "What is a 'god' to a nonbeliever?" she countered smugly.

There was an explosion of scarlet flame that obliterated every single one of her angels from existence. Angel fell back on her seat as she gazed in terror upon Gorun, who had undergone a magnificent change, to say the least. Crimson eyes stared down at her from underneath matching hair, a flaming aura engulfing his slim body. She couldn't sense his magic, which she had originally assumed meant that her angels were devouring him, but now recognized it as a transformation into something beyond anything she would have believed existed.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then found herself in a crater in the side of a mountain, Gorun's hand gripping her neck, her entire body in loads of pain, and not entirely certain of how she had gotten there. Speaking a lot more calmly than before, Gorun asked her, "Do you believe now?"

"Y-Yes?" she croaked as he released her throat and helped her sit down.

"Good," he said with a charming smile. "Then perhaps now we can have a proper talk. Let's start by giving one another our names, like civilized people. I'll go first- my name is Son Gorun, a Fairy Tail wizard who also happens to be one of the Ten Wizard Saints. And you are?"

"My name is… Angel," she said in a trembling voice. "Of the Oracion Seis."

Gorun _tsked_ and shook his head with a sigh. "I know your wizard name already," he told her. "I want your birth name."

"Why?" she demanded, though she was careful not to be so haughty about it. The way he was now, there was no telling what this Gorun character was capable of.

"You remind me of somebody I know," he answered nicely enough. "A good friend of mine, actually. I wanted to see if you two are somehow related."

"Fat chance of that," Angel snorted as she looked down. "My family was killed the day that I was taken to the Tower of Heaven."

"Maybe not," Gorun argued. "Tell me your real name, and then I'll know for certain."

She glared up at him for a silent moment before muttering in a quiet voice, "Sorano."

"Sorano?" he repeated.

"Yes, Sorano Agria," she growled. "What of it?"

"Agria," he grinned brightly, setting her on edge. "Now who would've guessed…?"

"Why does my name matter?!" she demanded again. "I left it behind, along with a life that fades like an echo. I barely remember it anymore."

"Well that's a real shame, because I have a friend named Yukino Agria who would be very disappointed to hear that," he said, freezing her in place.

"Y-Yuki?" she whispered, looking back up at him with wide eyes. "Sh-She…"

"I'll be assuming that you're the older sister that she's mentioned," Gorun told her. "I suppose I should've put things together a lot sooner than I did. White hair, same colored eyes, both of you practice celestial magic…"

"W-Wait, Yuki is a celestial wizard, too?!" she exclaimed.

"Her and Lucy Heartfelia are pretty much the only ones around these days," Gorun nodded. "She's really talented- got three golden zodiac keys to go with Lucy's ten, so altogether, Fairy Tail has the complete zodiac team in its ranks."

"Ugh, she joined the same guild as you and that bimbo?" Angel scoffed. "Wonderful."

"Well, she's happy," Gorun shrugged. "She's a part of my team along with a kid named Romeo, and my fiancée, Kinana- though you probably knew her as 'Cubellios'."

"Wait, that snake that Cobra was always saying used to be a girl?" she asked him in disbelief. "He was right about that? Actually, no, forget that, why did Yukino join up with you?"

"Why don't you ask her in person?" Gorun offered, completely bewildering Angel.

It surprised her so much that it took her a solid minute to manage a response. "Sorry, _what_?" she asked him. "Weren't you all hell-bent on putting me back in prison just a few minutes ago?"

"Under normal circumstances, I still would be," Gorun nodded, his fiery aura finally dying down, though he did retain the red eyes and hair. "But as it so happens, you and your pals formerly of the Baram Alliance might just have something that my guild needs. In exchange for some information, I will let you see your sister again. Should you agree to this, I will add an additional offer that I think you'll find very attractive- at least, when compared to going back in your cell, as you now realize I can make you do very easily."

Angel flinched, but kept her eyes on him as she said, "What do you want to know?"

"Tartaros is after something called 'Face'," Gorun answered. "We know that they're killing former council members right now, and I want to know if that has anything to do with it, or if it's just another part of their scheme. Also, if possible, I would like to know about 'Face' itself."

Angel was already shaking her head in the negative, though. "Brain was the one who knew about secret weapons and all that," she told him. "Maybe he knew something about this 'Face' thing, but I don't have even a hint of what it can do, or why Tartaros would be killing the council other than to sow confusion and despair among the people of Fiore."

"Damn," Gorun scowled, causing the woman to flinch, but he made no hostile moves against her. "Would Cobra know more about it?"

"If he did, he would have used that as part of his bargaining chip to get us out of jail," Angel said sullenly. "Which I guess is a moot point now."

"Only if you keep up that attitude," Gorun snorted as he stood up and stretched out a hand to the woman, only for her to eye him warily. "Come on, don't look at me like that. I won't hurt you."

"The crater behind me, plus the bruises on my back and neck would beg to differ," she said dryly.

"Okay, I won't hurt you again if you don't attack me, or try to run away," he amended. "Come on, now."

Slowly, gingerly, she allowed him to help her to her feet, wincing as her wounds protested in agony. "You sure know how to show a lady a good time," she grunted.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "I guess I got a little carried away." Once she was able to stand on her own, he added, "Well, you didn't know what I wanted to learn, _but_ you did answer according to the best of your ability. So I'll take you to see Yukino- provided you agree to another trade."

"What now?" she asked him, even more wary than before. Then, a thought struck her and she shook her head as she said, "You know what? It doesn't matter. I don't want to see her."

"You don't?" he asked, surprised. "That's not how it seemed a second a-"

"I don't want to see her!" Angel said with more force than she had meant to. When Gorun raised an eyebrow, she forced herself to calm down and added, "I don't want her to see me… not like this. I know that I've done a lot of horrible things, and if she's as happy and wonderful as you say she is… I don't want her to see me as I've become. I'd rather stay dead to her, so that she remembers us as children, when I would have given anything to protect her…"

"So you wouldn't do the same for her now?"

Gorun's question caused her to stiffen before she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, our guild is about to go to war with Tartaros, and I would bet my entire life savings on the odds that it is gonna be a rough ride," Gorun answered, his red eyes appearing troubled. "She'll be in a lot of danger, whether I'm there to help her or not."

Angel hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She wanted to stand on her dignity and not give in to the bait she suspected he was getting at, but long-suppressed feelings and memories were rushing back to the forefront of her mind. "What do you want?" she finally asked.

"I want you to come to Fairy Tail with me," Gorun told her. This immediately led to her shaking her head in the negative, so he said quickly, "I'm not done yet. If you help us defeat Tartaros, I'll grant you my protection as a Wizard Saint. With the magic council annihilated, and the Wizard Saints acting in their place, that could well translate to full clemency, not just a jailbreak." He paused to let that sink in before adding, "You could go anywhere, be anything you want. I'll only hold you to working for me so long as Tartaros remains a threat. Once that's done, you're a free woman. What's more, you can hold your head up with some pride, knowing that in spite of all the things you've done, you helped save your little sister from the claws of Tartaros."

"You really are a part of that stupid group, aren't you?" she scowled. "Always trying to show mercy to people that would kill you but were fortunes reversed."

"Actually, this is kind of new on my part," Gorun said with a thin smile. "I'm just… growing more of an appreciation for familial ties, is all. Thought I'd give you the same opportunity."

"And what about the rest of the Seis?" Angel asked. "What're you gonna do with them?"

"Well, if Jellal doesn't kill 'em, that means that he's probably got other plans," Gorun shrugged. "He never said that he wanted to kill you lot, and neither of us are obliged to do so. We only told Doranbolt that we'd 'take care' of you. That leaves for some wiggle room in terms of what I have to do in order to fulfil my oath."

"If Jellal doesn't kill my comrades, then… I'll join you in your fight against Tartaros," she finally said at length. "But make no mistake- if Yuki is in unnecessary danger, my priority will be to protect her, no one else."

"I can accept that," Gorun smirked. Reaching out with his hand again, he said, "Now grab on. I can sense that Jellal's about to drop some real hurt on your friends, and I'd rather not risk the chance that they made him do something hasty."

* * *

 **Begin Soundtrack: Blue Rose Sword (by Yuki Kajiura)**

* * *

" _True Heavenly Body Magic!_ " Jellal cried as blood trickled down from beneath his eyelids. Midnight had attempted to kill him with illusion magic, which had forced him to rake his own eyeballs in order to combat the assault on his optical sense. Now he was aiming to take his revenge on the three men standing against him. The remaining members of the dark guild all recoiled in despair as they saw a massive light gathering above the clouds. " _SEMA!_ "

A meteor bore down from the reaches of the sky, aimed to smite Cobra and his friends where they stood. The dragon slayer could hear it coming- the sound of their deaths thundering above them, and knowing that no spell that he or any of the others could cast would allow them to survive it. He shut his remaining eye and waited for the end to come, wishing that he had been able to see Cubellios once more.

So it was that he missed seeing when Gorun appeared, took Angel's hand off his shoulder, and shot into the sky to smash into the meteor with incredible force, causing the air above them to erupt with fire and rock, which began to shower down on them, stinging- but not killing- them.

"Huh?" he muttered as he opened his eyes, trying to make sense of what his ears were telling him. One second death had been upon them, and the next, Jellal's attack was nothing but pebbles and embers. Looking over at the blue-haired man, he could see that he was frowning, which mean that he hadn't intended for the spell to detonate prematurely. "What in the…?"

"Hi." The men all snapped their gaze over to see Gorun standing beside Hoteye, who looked just as startled by his sudden appearance as the rest of them. Not to mention something about those red eyes and hair gave Cobra a sense of foreboding…

"Back for more?" he asked, poison wafting off his arms as he raised his fists. Strange appearance or not, he realized that he couldn't feel any magic power coming off of the kid. _Now's our chance to get away,_ he realized. _This kid can't possibly-_

"Erik, don't," Angel called from behind Hoteye, stepping out from behind the large man, looking as though a hellhound had used her as a ragdoll. "It's no good fighting him. He's beyond any of our skills."

"Whatever skills he's got, it doesn't matter," Cobra grinned as he wriggled his ears. "He's out of power, and I know every move before he makes it."

"That doesn't matter if you can't block," Gorun said with a dangerous look in his eye, a fiery aura bursting to life around him, though Cobra still couldn't feel any magic coming from his enemy. "Last chance to surrender to Jellal before I start playing without kid gloves."

The fact that he was somehow exuding energy without the other wizards being able to sense it was unsettling enough that they almost gave up then and there. Then Cobra tightened his fists and shouted, "Death before imprisonment!"

"Fine," Gorun shrugged, holding up a hand to forestall anything that Angel had to say. "But don't say I didn't warn you." There was a flicker of motion, and then Gorun was standing right back where he had started, albeit with some dust kicked up around him.

"Wha… Urgh…" Cobra groaned as he collapsed in the dirt, followed swiftly by the other two men that had been standing with him, his legs feeling like jelly, and the rest of his body, a mass of bruises.

"That's better," Gorun said, satisfied. Turning to Hoteye, who was looking decidedly nervous, he asked, "You're not really a bad guy anymore, are you?"

"N-No sir," the man stammered, clearly in awe of his overwhelming power, despite his inability to sense it. "I'm j-just a man that wants to find his brother, oh yeah."

"Ah, well, I'll leave that to Jellal," the young man shrugged as he released his divine ki, his hair returning to its usual shade of black, and his muscles filling out his gi again. "Speaking of… Hey, pal! You doing okay?"

"Battered and bruised, plus I can't see," his friend answered as Meredy and Urtear moved to help him sit down. "How about you? Did you undo my spell?"

"Yeah, but I beat everybody else into the ground, so you guys can do whatever you want with 'em," Gorun answered as he walked toward Jellal, his foot just so happening to catch on Cobra's head as he walked by. Over his shoulder, he told Angel, "Don't go anywhere!"

"I know that!" she grumbled.

Reaching into his pocket once he reached his friends, Gorun said, "Here, eat this."

"What is it?" Jellal asked as Urtear took the item from the Saiyan boy, a new look of respect in her eyes regarding him.

"It's good for you, eat it," Gorun insisted.

"Come on, I'm sure it'll help somehow," Urtear said as she put a senzu bean against Jellal's mouth, prompting him to open up and eat it.

No sooner than he had than did Gorun tell him, "Open your eyes."

"I can't, they're… Wait." Jellal's eyes slowly crept up, then blinked a few times as he realized that they didn't hurt anymore. "What was that?" he asked, amazed. It wasn't just his eyes- every wound on his body was gone, and he felt the full measure of his magic power flowing through him now, whereas moments before he had been nearly out of it.

"Senzu bean," Gorun answered. "They heal all wounds, restore your magic power and stamina, plus you won't need to eat for the next ten days. I don't have many left, so don't expect another one from me again. Consider that as my apology for leaving you to deal with them alone."

"It wasn't a big problem," Jellal grinned wryly.

"The hell it wasn't!" Urtear scolded him. "Poor Meredy and I thought that you had been vaporized!"

"But I wasn't," he said gently. "Now then, let's give our adversaries a chance to recover, now that they're beaten down. I have a proposition for them."

"You too, huh?" Gorun asked as he sat next to the man. "Sorry if this throws a wrench in your plans, but Angel and I already struck a deal. She's coming with me."

"Very well," Jellal sighed. "I imagine you have your reasons."

"I do."

"Then before you go, I hope you don't mind telling me what kind of magic you were wielding just a moment ago," the blue-haired man said. "I couldn't feel your magic, but I did feel a strange pressure in the air, something I've never felt before."

"It's my newest transformation," Gorun answered. "My cousin and I both unlocked it in our fight with the phoenix, and it's called 'Super Saiyan god'. Unlike my other takeover spells, this one does not simply amplify my strength- it changes the nature of it from that of a mortal to that of the divine."

"It was crazy, Jellal!" Meredy said excitedly. "He was so fast, you couldn't even see him move! I don't think it was even that hard for him to flatten your mega-spell, either!" If she noticed the dejected look that her leader gave her, she ignored it.

"To be fair, I actually had to cast a pretty hefty Kamehameha in order to stop it," Gorun corrected her. "I just did it so fast that your eyes couldn't track the move. Jellal's spells are no joke. After all, he used to be a Wizard Saint, like me."

"You mentioned that earlier," Urtear remarked. "Congratulations are in order."

"Thanks, but I only got the position because another guy ditched Fiore, and the council got blasted," he replied. "Honestly, I'd just as soon hand the position over to Jellal, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

"Nor do I," the other man laughed. Then, gesturing toward Angel, he said, "Good luck with her, and in your fight against Tartaros."

"You won't join us?" Gorun asked, feeling a little disappointed. "We could definitely use you in the fight that I have no doubt is coming our way."

"Normally I would, given the circumstances, but I would rather not go anywhere with this bunch until I've made my offer to them," Jellal replied. "I was responsible for much of their suffering and years spent in the dark… I need to offer them a path back into the light, for their sakes as much as my own."

"You really need to stop blaming yourself for that," Urtear admonished with a look of pain in her eyes. "It was my fault, really."

"You may have been the puppet master, but only because I handed you the strings," Jellal countered. "Let's not renew this argument, Urtear. We have more important things to worry about, and Gorun needs to get back to Fairy Tail." Giving his friend a shooing motion, he said, "Go on. We'll meet again soon, I'm sure of it."

"All right," Gorun said as he rose to his feet. "Take care of each other."

"Bye!" Meredy chirped.

"Be well," Urtear said by way of farewell.

"Until the next one," Jellal added with a smile.

* * *

 **Azura: Isn't it about time that you stopped looking like death?**

 **Mataras: Bite me- not like I planned to get the flu for Christmas.**

 **Gorun: You know, you could've always delayed the release date a little bit, you know? I'm sure everyone would have understood.**

 **Mataras: Maybe, but if I'm capable of doing the release on the day of, then I'm obliged to do so. Even so, I'm gonna ask that we keep this session brief, as I really need to get back to sleep.**

 **Gorun: All right, if you're sure.**

 **Azura: First off, Mataras and Kaidon wish all of you a merry Christmas.**

 **Gorun: And _Azura_ hopes that you'll go check out our first OVA in Saiyan Tail Specials.**

 **Mataras: Play nice, munchkins.**

 **Saiki: Next time on Saiyan Tail, New Year's Day, 2020- War On All Fronts**

 **Gorun: Where have you been?!**

 **Mataras: Trying to avoid me, but I reminded him of why that's a bad idea.**

 **Saiki: I will get you back for this, I promise.**

 **Azura: Mataras sends his apologies in advance for the lack of wizard profile or Time Patrol Special, but he's simply not feeling up to it this time.**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

Gorun gazed up at a monstrous floating cube the size of Crocus as it obscured the sky high above the town. It looked like it was made of some kind of a mix of blue crystal and solid rock, though what kept it flying, the young man could not discern. He blinked in surprise as he tried to sense for the power levels of the people that would undoubtedly be piloting the fortress, but much to his bewilderment, he was unable to do so.

 _Must be bane particles,_ he thought as he glared up at the flying fortress. Based on Happy's descriptions, he knew that this must be the travelling base of Tartaros, the people responsible for attacking the Magic Council.

He had a very powerful grenade handy, and his first instinct was to throw it at them. However, he stayed his hand when he remembered that they had his friends as hostages, probably somewhere in that floating base of theirs'. He couldn't risk throwing it directly at the place, as it carried the risk of harming Natsu and the girls on accident.

On the other hand, the orb was glowing brighter by the second, which meant it was probably ready to blow any moment. _Super Saiyan or not, I don't like the odds of me escaping unscathed if this thing blows up in my hand,_ he thought as his mind raced through what few options he did have.

"Ah, screw it," he groaned as he drew his arm back as hard as he could before whipping it forward, throwing the orb skyward.

 _BOOM!_


	29. War On all Fronts

**A/N: I'm alive! Jeez, being sick sucks. I do apologize if last chapter's bonus content was lacking, but I simply wasn't up to the task of creating it in time for the chapter release. Today, though, I have the full course ready to be enjoyed.**

 **Let's tune in to see just how Gorun will do with introducing his captive to the rest of Fairy Tail...**

 **P.S. Oh, and Happy New Year!**

* * *

 _War of the Underworld: Chapter 2_

War on All Fronts

Gorun and Sorano made a single stop in a little town on the way back to Magnolia via instant transmission. Without a word to his new ally, the Saiyan boy led the way to a market stall where there were various clothing articles being sold. Glancing at the woman's ruined attire for a second out of the corner of his eye, he addressed the stall owner with the words, "My companion needs a new outfit, sir. We've had a rough time on the road, and I'd like to see her dressed properly."

"I'll be happy to accommodate your request," the man replied with a bright smile. Turning to Sorano, he asked, "What strikes your fancy, miss? I've a wide variety of garments whose origins place from Crocus to the kingdom of Stella."

"We are in a hurry," Gorun said in a lowered tone to Sorano. "I'll pay for whatever you want, just make your choice fast, and be sure that it'll hold up in a fight."

"You should've just led with offering to pay for my wardrobe when you recruited me," she laughed under her breath as she moved swiftly to select an outfit that- not to Gorun's surprise- consisted of a white tube top and a navy skirt that ended just above her knees. While she did, he watched the stall owner closely for any sign that he recognized Sorano as Angel, but thus far things seemed to be going without incident. _I guess it's been some time since the Seis were a public menace, so it stands to reason that they've faded into the back of people's memory by now._

Eyeing some of the more extravagant pieces on display, Gorun selected an extra item to complete Sorano's new outfit. "A cloak?" she complained when she saw it, a long piece that could enclose her entire body easily, topped with a hood featuring a deep cowl that could hide her face and obscure her identity. "Is this necessary?" she asked him.

He cocked his head at her while keeping his face neutral as he whispered in her ear, "Do you want a chance for me to explain your presence to my friends, or would you rather they attack you on sight? Besides, it won't be long before you and the rest of the Seis are reported as escaped convicts, and then we have people trying to attack you in the streets." He continued to keep an eye on the merchant, but if the man was bothered by their exclusive conversation, he showed no sign of it. _He probably thinks we're arguing over whether or not we can afford it,_ he surmised as he leaned away from Sorano, who looked disgruntled.

"Way to ruin my good mood," she grumbled as he turned to the man selling the items and proceeded to hand over the asking prices. Grabbing the bag that he then gave to them, she made to head for a nearby restaurant, where she could change in private, Gorun quickly following her without another word.

* * *

As soon as she had changed and was wearing the new cloak, they teleported straight to Magnolia, Gorun having locked onto Azura's energy signature. To his surprise, she was waiting for him on one of the guild hall's terraces, a pensive look on her face when they appeared.

"Did one of the Thunder Legion die?" he asked worriedly, startling his cousin a bit as she fixed her piercing blue eyes on him.

"No, they're hanging on, barely," she replied with a negative shake of her head, much to his relief. Peering closely at Sorano, who shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze, Azura asked, "Who's this? Relative of Yukino?"

"Her sister, and currently on the most wanted list for Fiore's criminal wizards," Gorun answered. Raising a hand to forestall any questions from his cousin, he added, "She's on our side now. When the battle with Tartaros is over, I'm going to use my power as Wizard Saint to absolve her of her crimes, so long as she helps us in our battle with Tartaros. I'll explain everything that happened later- right now I need to know what's got you of all people looking like someone killed your dog and is now wearing it as a festive hat."

"The situation deteriorated while you were gone, badly," Azura answered with a sharp frown. "Erza and Mirajane were sent to protect the former Head Councilman, but they both missed their scheduled check-ins. On top of that, most of the council members the others went to protect were already dead on arrival."

"Damn," Gorun cursed. "Do we have any good news at all?"

"None," Azura muttered. "I even tried to sense for where your friends might be in order to ascertain their safety, but I can't get a feel for their energy signatures. Either they're dead or incapacitated in some way, I'm not sure which."

"The girls might be in hiding somewhere," Gorun countered as he put his chin in his hand. "I taught a few wizards here to raise and lower their power levels to avoid detection, so they might be doing that."

"Possible, but I think you might need to prepare yourself for the worst," Azura replied as she folded her arms. "With the way things are going, it's clear that Tartaros has planned things out many steps in advance. Your friends might be in over their heads."

"If I have no hope, then I have no reason to fight," her cousin said with a shake of his head. Glancing downward, he said, "I'm not ready to give that up just yet. Let's get inside. I need to update Master on the circumstances that took me away from here- and let him know about our new friend."

* * *

He found the guild hall inside to be a dismal sight. With the news of their wizards going missing along with the deaths of the council members, it was no wonder that everyone looked so dejected. Trying to exude an aura of confidence that he did not feel, Gorun approached Makarov, who was talking quietly to Lucy, Éclair, and Wendy, all of whom looked very ragged. Sorano kept her silence, not wanting to become a target before Gorun could assure her safety, while Azura simply felt no need to say anything.

"Master," he said respectfully as he walked up, drawing the old man's attention. "I apologize for my absence, but it couldn't be helped. Azura filled me in on what's been happening, and I'd like to know if there's any way I can help you."

"I would have preferred that you were here to assist in the protection of the council members, but what's done is done," Makarov replied gravely. Looking past the new Wizard Saint as he told the girls to go get some rest, he scrutinized Sorano, no doubt trying to ascertain why Gorun had brought a newcomer into their hall during such a trying time.

Preempting the question that was undoubtedly on its way, Gorun said, "I suggest that we speak in private, Master. My companion's situation is… complicated, and it requires your immediate attention."

"It can't wait?" the old wizard asked gravely. "We have a lot going on, Gorun."

"It has to do with Tartaros, at least in part," the younger man assured him. "And no, I would prefer that this situation is addressed sooner rather than later."

"Hmph…" Makarov grumbled, but he got up and hopped off the table, heading for his office. "Come along, then."

"Yes sir," Gorun said as he waved Sorano to accompany him. Over his shoulder, he said, "Get the team together. Once Master and I have finished talking, I'm going to need to give them an update, too. Don't say who it is that I've brought yet, though." He had looked around the hall, but he had not seen any of his teammates therein- apparently Azura had them doing research with Levy while they waited for further orders.

"Be quick about it," his cousin replied tersely. "And I'm not lying for you."

"Ghost Nappa," Gorun shot back.

Azura's face reddened to match Erza's hair as she growled, "You only get to play that card once, understand?!"

"Yes," he replied as he walked away. "Now do what I told you."

* * *

Makarov turned out to be easier to win over than Gorun had thought. He showed only token surprise when Sorano revealed herself in his office, and he listened quietly to Gorun's reasons for bringing her in, as well as what he planned to do with her if they could defeat Tartaros. He had warned the boy that using his newfound authority in such a way so early in his career might ruffle some feathers, but Gorun pointed out that people likely wouldn't care much if she helped them save the country from Zeref's minions.

"At least now I understand why you ran off without much notice," Makarov grumbled as he rubbed his aged face tiredly. Before Gorun debriefed him on the situation with the Oracion Seis, the old man had told his colleague about how Natsu and Happy had gone missing after an encounter with one of Tartaros' demons, along with Erza, Mirajane, and the former Head Councilman. "I still wish you would have placed priority on events here, but I also cannot fault you for repaying a debt owed."

"So what does this mean for me?" Sorano asked when Gorun remained silent. "I know a few of your wizards aren't gonna be happy to see me."

"They'll live," Makarov replied as he stood up and grabbed his staff. "We've taken in former enemies before, and they have often turned into our most staunch supporters. Your story is no stranger to them than that of others that have gone astray."

"Your philosophies are largely influenced by naïve hope," Sorano muttered. Her gaze softened slightly as she added, "But I suppose I'm grateful for that now."

"One thing," Gorun told her as they all filed out of the office. "If Lucy punches you, I'm letting her have one good one." He had heard about the history between the two wizards, and he felt that his friend had more than earned at least a mild retribution.

"She won't," Sorano replied smugly as she put her hood back up. "She's too much of a bleeding heart to hurt someone who's coming to her guild's side." Gorun shrugged at that, but he knew that she was right. Lucy didn't much hold to the ideas of revenge or having grudges.

"I suggest we hold off on any infighting until Tartaros is dealt with," Makarov said firmly. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I need to go tell the rest of our family the situation at hand."

* * *

Gorun found his team gathered at their usual table, all of them looking as pensive as the rest of the guild. "Hey guys," he said as he approached.

"Gorun!" Kinana exclaimed as she leaped up to hug him tightly. "I was worried when you left without saying anything!"

"I'm really sorry about that," he said as he held her tightly, relishing in the warm contact of her skin and the scent of her hair. "Did Azura fill you in on what was happening?"

"She told us that you went to fight the Oracion Seis," Romeo replied as the couple reluctantly pulled themselves apart. "I'm guessing you stomped them pretty good, huh?"

"Like I'd have never believed," Sorano said from behind the Saiyan, drawing everyone's attention to her.

"Hold on, I know that voice…" Yukino said with a slight frown as she peered at the cloaked newcomer. "Gorun, who is this?"

"Someone willing to help us against Tartaros, despite a… let's call it a 'checkered past," Gorun replied as he turned side-on to look at Sorano. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Makarov gathering the rest of the guild to him and speaking in lowered tones, just as Gorun had requested- he'd thought it better to explain things to Yukino and the rest of his team separately from the rest of the guild.

"Wait, is that one of-"

"This is Sorano Agria, formerly Angel of the Oracion Seis," Gorun said to interrupt Romeo, causing all of his teammates-save for Azura- to react with surprise as the woman threw back the hood covering her head. Kinana and Romeo instinctively flinched and drew away from her, while Yukino could only look at her long-lost sibling in a mute shock.

"Where the hell did she come from?" Romeo asked as he looked to his leader for an explanation.

"Long story short, Doranbolt called in the favor I owed him to take down the Seis," Gorun answered swiftly. "I recruited her while Jellal is taking in the rest of her compatriots."

"Why?" Yukino asked in a trembling voice.

Gorun wasn't sure if she was speaking to him or to Sorano, but he decided to answer anyway. "You've told us about how your family was torn away from you because of Zeref's followers," he said quietly. "I thought it might be fitting for the two of you to reunite with the intention of taking the hurt to Zeref's most loyal."

"I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me, Yukino," Sorano began. "I can't say that I'd be too happy if our situations were reversed. But I do want you to know that I accepted Gorun's offer because it meant that I would be able to- _oof_!" She was cut off as Yukino flung herself at the older Agria, seizing in her a bone-crushing bear hug.

"I don't care why you're here, I'm just glad that you are!" Yukino cried while Sorano struggled to breathe and awkwardly return the embrace as best as she could with her arms pinned at her sides.

"You seem to have a knack for picking up pretty girls," Kinana said as she moved closer to her fiancé, now assured that they were not about to be attacked by a terrorist. "Should I be worried?"

Turning to her with a gentle smile, he said, "I don't think it's possible to find anybody prettier than my future wife." Kinana blushed and looked downward, but it was clear that she was glad to see him returned safely, even if he'd brought along an escaped convict with him.

"Yeah, well, this chick isn't the first one you've brought in today, so we'd all understand if she dumped you," Azura smirked as she walked up to the pair, ignoring the Agria sisters as she did.

"Excuse me?" Gorun asked with a frown.

"Yeah, some kid came in today, said you gave her an open invite," Romeo said as he pointed over to the bar, where an unfamiliar figure sat over a plate of food, eating hungrily. "She's kinda weird- treats everybody in here like they're a celebrity- even me!" He pointed to himself and added, "I'm not one of the famous wizards, and somehow she knew about me and talked to me like I was a big deal! It was weird, man!"

The Saiyan boy frowned and opened his mouth to deny knowledge of the subject, but then he caught sight of the kid's profile, and the words died in his mouth when he recognized them. It was Rachel, the girl that had run into him the day that he had babysat Asuka. _I had actually forgotten all about her,_ he thought as he turned back to the others.

"I know your intentions are honorable," Kinana told him. "But you really need to stop inviting every girl that you run into to join the guild."

"I didn't- She's not a wizard," he protested. "She just seemed like a kid who wanted to meet her role models, and I didn't see anything wrong with that."

"Maybe, but it seems that she's fixated on you more than anyone else here," Azura said while folding her arms. "She's been asking everyone if you're here, or when you'll be back. Honestly, I'm surprised that she didn't notice you come in."

"I was trying to be inconspicuous," Gorun replied defensively as he jerked a thumb at Yukino and Sorano, who were still crying and trying to escape, respectively. "The point was _not_ to get noticed. Besides, what do you guys want me to do? Get rid of her?"

"Just be more careful with how you present yourself to other people in the future, Mister Wizard Saint," Kinana teased him. "Besides, we'll probably be too busy dealing with Tartaros to think about her real soon."

"Speaking of which, still no luck in finding out where their base is?" Gorun asked Azura, who shook her head in the negative.

"Nothing," she scowled. "Apparently these Tartaros freaks use some kind of energy different from ki, called 'curses'. I've tried to sense for any power signatures outside of the normal range, but even with the god form, I can't sense them."

"Maybe you already sensed them, but since there's so much magic energy across Ishgar, you just overlooked them?" Kinana suggested. "I've made that mistake when I was hunting an A-class criminal with Gorun a year ago."

"I'm not that sloppy," Azura snorted. When she saw Kinana's dejected expression, she quickly added, "But then, I've been practicing since I was a toddler- for having a year of practice, you could be doing much worse. My point is, I would have known something was off the moment I detected their power levels."

"She's rude, but her bragging is warranted," Gorun admitted begrudgingly. "If she can't sense their energy, they must be doing something to conceal themselves."

"There are spells that can turn people and stuff invisible, but I don't think I've ever heard of a magic that hides your powers," Romeo muttered thoughtfully.

"Much of what Tartaros deals in would be unknown to you," Sorano grunted, still in the tear-soaked clutches of her sister. As everyone turned to look at her, she added, "Whatever it is that they do to conceal themselves, it's worked for decades, perhaps more than a century. You won't find them in just a day when thousands have failed before you."

"I'm sorry, are you forgetting that our guild does the impossible all the time?" Romeo shot back at the older woman. "It was supposed to be impossible to beat the Seis, but Natsu and the others did it seven years ago, and now Gorun did it again- all by himself."

"Jellal helped."

"Not the point," Romeo said as he waved aside his leader's words. "Whether it's because of our skills, or sheer dumb luck, Fairy Tail is gonna find and crush Tartaros, just like everybody else that gets in our way."

"You haven't ever faced Tartaros," Sorano said dully. "I'm here to help protect Yuki, but these guys make the rest of the Baram Alliance look like toddlers playing with sticks at war."

"Hey, snowflake," Azura snapped as she folded her arms and glared at Sorano, catching everyone else by surprise. "We already took out the phoenix, which apparently is only topped by one demon in Zeref's arsenal. So I can't say that we're exactly worried about the extras coming our way."

Sorano looked like she was about to make her own snarky reply, when there was the sound of several dozen people approaching them from the other side of the guild hall. They all turned to see the other wizards, led by a frowning Lucy, approaching their table, her gaze fixed solely on Sorano. Gorun quickly interposed himself between the two groups, saying, "I don't want any trouble, guys. She's here to help us."

"Master already told us about what's going on," Wendy said from beside Lucy.

"And I've got something I need to say to Angel," the blond mage insisted.

"W-Wait, Lucy," Yukino sniffled as she pulled away from her sister, wiping at her now-puffy eyes. "Please don't fight. I've been missing her for so long, and I-"

"Your sister did some pretty horrible things, not only to her spirits, but to other celestial wizards, too," Lucy said, her voice uncharacteristically stern. "She killed Aries and Loke's previous contractor, not to mention a bunch of other wizards like us, just to get their keys! She tried to kill me, too!"

Yukino's eyes flicked over to Sorano, who remained stone-faced, before saying, "But she's here to repent and make up for what she did!"

"I know, and that doesn't change what I need to say," their friend replied, the other wizards all looking on with a sense of nervous anticipation.

Sorano gripped Yukino's shoulder firmly before moving in front of the younger Agria to stand face-to-face with one of her greatest rivals. "Whatever you have to say, I'll hear it," she said quietly as she kept Yukino back at arm's length. "Whatever hell you condemn me to, I welcome it."

The two women stood silently, unblinking, for several long moments. Around them, no one moved. Hardly anyone dared to breathe.

Were they about to see a bitter rivalry renewed?

Would the two of them set aside their differences for the common good of the cause?

Or would things simply remain as they were, with both wizards regarding each other with utter disdain?

Finally, Lucy reached out with her right hand and said, "I can't forgive you for the things you did to my spirits… But I can accept that you want to help Yukino. In the interest of protecting your sister- my friend- I'm willing to set aside my feelings about you so that we can have the best shot at taking down Tartaros. Can you do the same?"

Sorano nodded once, her eyes never breaking contact with Lucy's. "For Yuki, yes," she said as she shook hands with the other girl. "She's all I have left that is good."

Lucy returned the nod, and they released each other's hands. Seeing that the tension had passed, Makarov stepped up to them and said, "Glad that we could have that settled. Now, let's get to work finding Tartaros."

* * *

"I feel like we just need one clue," Levy muttered as the gathered wizards began to break up into groups in order to brainstorm ideas on how to track down the dark guild. "Just one slipup on their part, and I know I could figure out where they've been hiding."

Lucy had told the guild about the weapon designated as 'Face' according to Michello, but the search on that device was being handled by Laki and a few others in the guild. Gorun's group and resources were still dedicated to figuring out how to find the guild that wanted to kill them all.

"Let's review everything we know about them so far," Azura asserted as she and the rest of Golden Tail sat down with the script mage and Gajeel. "Maybe there's something we missed. And before we get started, don't bother bringing up the fact that no one has ever been able to find them- we're all aware of that fact, and it's not going to help us now."

"Okay then, what _do_ we know?" Romeo grumbled. "They're the head of the Baram Alliance, right?"

"Yes, but not even members like the Oracion Seis or Grimoire Heart ever knew their location," Sorano informed them. "Brain might have figured it out, but I doubt it."

"Why's that?" Wendy asked as she, Lucy, and Éclair came to stand beside them. "Didn't he have access to Archive Magic?"

"That magic only has repositories of knowledge that other people have put in there already," Sorano replied. "If Tartaros is clever enough to have evaded detection for so long, I doubt that one of their members was stupid enough to leave their home address lying around in there."

"Okay, what about our encounters with them as of late?" Gorun asked, glancing around the table. "Was there a location that they arrived from?"

"I already tried to extrapolate their location with the towns that they had targeted, but I ended up drawing a blank," Levy sighed, frustrated. "Somehow my equations showed them as coming from five or six different areas in Fiore."

"Could they have multiple outposts?" Pantherlily inquired. "When I was in the wars back in Edolas, it was standard protocol to establish multiple staging points for an invasion."

"That's a plausible theory, but two facts contradict its credibility," Azura said with a negative shake of her head. "This is a guild, not an army- they've engaged in guerilla combat tactics, not open warfare." Before the scarred exceed could protest, she held up a hand and said, "Yes, I know that such a tactic makes sense whether your battles are in open fields or in the streets of a city. However, I flew to three of the locations that Levy detailed myself, and each time there was nothing in the way of a base, or even a guild hall."

The others looked frustrated at that piece of news, but Azura refused to be discouraged yet. Turning to Éclair, she asked, "Do you know anything about where they might be?"

The former priestess blinked in surprise before asking, "Why would I know anything about the location of Tartaros?"

"You've been alive for several centuries, not to mention that one of their pals gave you that extended lifespan," the blue-haired saiyan shrugged. "I'm sure you heard _some_ thing in all that time."

Éclair frowned before she answered, "You would be surprised by how little of those four centuries that I can actually recall. The only thing I can remember with clarity in regards to this situation is that my village worshipped the phoenix, believing that if we kept it placated, it would not return to wreak havoc upon the world as it had before." Her eyes deadened as she added, "We all saw how well that turned out."

In an attempt to move on from the depressing fate of Fire Village, Gorun said, "All right, let's forget about trying to find Tartaros for the moment. What do we know about their powers and how they operate?"

"They're incredibly resilient creatures, these Etherious," Carla informed them. "According to what Freed was able to tell us, it took a considerable amount of magic from Laxus to fell that 'Disaster' monster. And I've seen few things take as many hits from Natsu as Jackal did before he also succumbed to his wounds."

"Jackal?" Gorun asked. "I feel like I've heard that name before…"

"He was a demon that could make anything he touched explode," Lucy said with a shudder. "He was ruthless and depraved… He bragged about blowing up the magic council, then he tried to make me choose between the life of the council guy, Michello, and a pregnant lady."

"That's twisted," Romeo said as he made a face. "But I guess Natsu gave him what he deserved?"

"Sort of," Wendy informed them. "He beat him soundly, but Jackal blew himself up before we could question him too much."

Azura and Gorun exchanged a glance before he muttered, "Freed mentioned that those bane particles were the result of their enemy immolating himself."

"And the phoenix nearly succeeded in igniting Ishgar like kindling after we killed it," Azura added in the same tone, a frown on her face. "If every one of these Etherious are equipped with some kind of self-destruct mechanism, taking down seven more of them won't be a task for anybody without S-class ranked powers."

"Unfortunately, most of our wizards with that kind of power are either missing, or out of commission," Kinana pointed out. "No one knows where Gildarts is, Laxus and the Thunder Legion are laid up in bed, and Natsu, Mira, and Erza are all MIA."

"We still have Gorun and Azura, not to mention a few others from the Tenrou team," Romeo protested. "Gray, Juvia, Levy, and Gajeel are all here, still. Plus Lucy and Yukino can do fusion, so we've got Lucino."

"We're not discounting their strength, not by a long shot," Gorun assured his younger friend. "But we do have to face the fact that we're lacking some of our strongest hitters when we need them, now more than ever."

"Any chance you could use instant transmission to go find the old man?" Gajeel asked. "I'm sure he's got a high enough energy level to find him, even from across Ishgar."

Gorun was already shaking his head in the negative. "I've already tried, but unlike most people in this world, he's pretty good at keeping his power level lowered, mostly to keep himself from accidentally hurting the people around him. I'd need at least a general idea of where he is in order to teleport to him."

"That's inconvenient."

"You have no idea."

* * *

They were all taking a break for lunch when Happy flew into the guild hall, looking like he'd been run over by a magic-mobile, babbling a confused story about demons, a kidnapping, and somebody betraying them. It took a little while for him to calm down enough to be coherent, but eventually Carla and Makarov managed to get him to tell about how Natsu and he had gone after Crawford, the former Head Councilman on a hunch that the other members were being betrayed from the inside. Once they had found his residence, Natsu came across evidence that the man had drugged the girls, and so followed his nose right to the prize that they sought- the base of Tartaros.

At that piece of news, the guild hall had buzzed with excitement in anticipation of the hunt- at long last, they knew where to find their enemies!

However, the excitement quickly died down again upon Happy's revelation that the base was actually a giant castle sitting on top of a city-sized floating cube that could move through the clouds.

At that, Gorun and Azura cursed angrily. "No wonder we couldn't find it!" the girl growled, making her guild mates edge away from her apprehensively. "They keep moving the damn thing!"

"Still doesn't account for why we can't sense their energy signatures, though," Gorun scowled.

"Actually, I've been working on a theory regarding that," Levy told him, surprising them and their friends. "Bane particles are basically anti-magic atoms, which I would imagine have some kind of impact on your senses, right?"

Gorun, Azura, and Kinana exchanged looks, then shrugged simultaneously. "We've never tried to sense for bane particles before," the purple-haired girl replied. "It never came up in a job, so we don't know if it would interfere with our ability to sense energy."

Levy made a face at that. "It's the only explanation I can think of, given what little we do know," she told them. "If they've figured out how to harness bane particles, they could be using it to hide their presence from magical means of detection."

"Hey, Gorun!" Happy exclaimed as he ran over to the leader of Golden Tail with tears in his eyes. "If I took ya to where Tartaros is, do you think you'd be able to get Natsu back? I… left him…"

"Hey," Gorun said kindly as he knelt down to pat Happy on the head with a smile. "You might've had to leave him, but you didn't abandon him. We're gonna rescue him, and the girls, too. Promise."

"Okay…" the blue exceed sniffled.

"C'mere, little guy," Lucy said as she scooped her friend up into a hug.

"Hey, Happy," Levy said as she and Lucy moved off to the side to speak in private. "Do you think you could tell me what you saw on the way over here? Since I know that they fly to get around, I might be able to extrapolate their location based on landmarks and the placement of the sun that you saw during your escape."

While the girls began to work with Happy, Gorun stood up slowly, the smile that he had given Happy quickly fading from his face to be replaced with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Seeing it out of the corner of her eye, Azura muttered, "I know that look."

"What look?" Kinana asked, having noticed the lowered tone she was using.

"That's the look he had in his eye the first time he went Super Saiyan," Azura informed her future cousin. As they both watched him walk away toward the bar with a hard look on his face, she added, "His friends are being held captive by demons, and more of them lie dying because of the actions of these dark forces… The Saiyan Kaidon is ready to go to war- pity anyone foolish enough to get in his way."

* * *

Gorun sat down heavily at the bar, his head swirling with too many thoughts to count. He wished that Mirajane was here with her cheery smile, celebrating his and Kinana's engagement with the rest of their guild like they had originally planned. He wished that Natsu were able to bicker with Gray over something stupid so that Erza could come in and tell them both to shut up. Instead, he was surrounded by a family trying to survive what could be a war of attrition.

He groaned softly as laid his head on the bar, actively fighting the urge to become a Super Saiyan out of sheer frustration. _I hope we find these Tartaros thugs soon, or else Magnolia might need a new mountain range before all is said and done._

"Rough day?"

Gorun jerked his head up to see Rachel sitting a stool away from him, waving shyly as she offered an awkward smile. "Sorry," she added. "I picked a really crummy day to visit, huh? You're probably mad that I showed up, right?" She seemed pensive, which was hardly surprising, given the nature of the guild's discussions that day.

"No, no," he said as he straightened himself and turned to face the young girl. "I'm not angry at you at all. I guess I'm just surprised that you've stuck around, given all the crazy things that are going on. Since you're not a magician, I thought you'd want to stay as far away from a wizard's war as possible."

"W-Well, I don't really have anywhere else to go," Rachel admitted, looking down as she wrung her hands in her lap. "I was with the kingdom orphanage up until this morning… There are a lot of younger kids coming in, cos of the murders, so they don't have room for bigger kids like me. I, uh…" She shrugged helplessly. "There isn't a foster family that wants me, either."

Gorun blinked in surprise as he heard this. In his desire for revenge against the wrongs done to his comrades, he had all but forgotten about the ordinary citizens who were being dragged into Tartaros' war. He clenched his fist angrily, but kept his voice clam as he said, "I'm sorry to hear that, Rachel. Were your parents killed by the terrorists that have been murdering towns lately?"

"Nu-uh," the raven-haired girl said with a negative shake of her head, still keeping her eyes downcast. "They sent me away from my home a few months ago, and I've been wandering the countryside ever since I got to Ishgar. Some towns would help me for a few days, but I always wound up getting shuffled along, usually being told that I should look for help in Magnolia because of the town's orphanage being so well-funded. Now, though…" She sighed heavily, and Gorun felt sorry for her.

Still, he kept in mind what the others had been telling him when he returned with Sorano. _I can't just offer this girl a place to stay,_ he thought quickly. _That's hardly appropriate. But maybe…_

"Wait here," he told Rachel, causing her to look up at him in surprise. "I'll see if there's something I can do about all this."

"N-No!" she insisted. "You've got more important things to-"

"I'm a Wizard Saint," he said firmly over his shoulder. "My duty is to help people like you. Tartaros will still be a problem five minutes from now, but your living situation won't be, if I have any say about it."

As he walked away, he thought, _For every life I can save from the repercussions of Tartaros' actions, I will count it as a victory. Fairy or not, it's my job to help people like Rachel, so long as I am a Wizard Saint._

* * *

"Gorun, we _just_ talked about this," Kinana groaned as she put her face in her hands. "I know you want to help her, but is now really the time to be worrying about a random kid? We're about to go to war."

Gorun frowned as he said, "I was just a random kid when we first met, remember? And we've taken in much less trustworthy allies than a harmless little girl. Besides, it's just until we can find her a permanent home."

"I don't have a problem with it!" Wendy said before Kinana could voice another protest. "I think it'd be kinda fun to have a roommate!"

"Wait, what am I, then?" Carla demanded sharply.

"Uh, I meant a human roommate?" Wendy tried, just a little too late.

"Mhmm." Carla folded her arms, looking unconvinced.

Trying to draw things back to the matter at hand, Gorun said, "Look, her parents ditched her, and now even the orphanage won't help her. What are we supposed to do, let her become a street kid?"

"Ever think that there's a reason that she keeps getting moved along?" Azura asked as she approached. Gorun didn't even bother asking if she had overheard his proposal to have Rachel room with Wendy for a few days- he knew she had ears just as sharp as his.

So instead, he asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Azura snorted before saying, " _Maybe_ she hasn't told you the full story, brick-for-brains. Did you ever think of that? She might even be lying about her situation altogether."

"You think she's a con artist?" Gorun laughed, though he quickly stopped when he realized that nobody was laughing along with him. "Come on, guys, really?"

"Really," Kinana deadpanned.

"Since when did I become the one that tries to put his faith in strangers, and you became the suspicious one?" he asked her as he folded his arms. "Are you really worried about us?"

"…A little bit," Kinana admitted.

Sensing a shift in the conversation's tone, Gorun turned to the others and said, "Excuse us for a bit?" Azura and Wendy nodded their understanding while the young couple made to walk away, toward the guild's basement, where they could speak in private.

* * *

Once they were down and away from prying ears, Gorun frowned a little as he leaned against one of the tables and asked, "So, why the sudden suspicion of my fidelity?"

Kinana bristled a bit at his tone and choice of words, but she kept her cool as she replied, "I don't doubt you, Gorun. I never have, even if I do tease you about attracting pretty girls. But I just don't know about Rachel."

"What about her don't you like?" her fiancé asked, frustrated and perplexed. It was so unlike Kinana to act the part of the jealous girlfriend, and it was rather off-putting to him.

"She seems too… familiar," Kinana said at length. "Like I should remember her from somewhere, but I just don't know where."

Here, Gorun frowned a little harder, but not in irritation. Now he was thoroughly confused on the whole matter. "Why is that so strange?" he asked. "Some people just blend in wherever they go- social chameleons, you know?"

"It's more than that," Kinana insisted urgently. "Romeo was right, she spoke to everyone in the guild hall as though they were one of the Ishgar Four, even Max and Vijeeter. She knew all of us by name, what we've done for Fairy Tail, and even some of what we'd done before we came to the guild."

"So she's a heavily invested fan of ours?" Gorun replied, still feeling like he was missing something.

Kinana sighed in exasperation before stepping forward and thumping her head on Gorun's chest. "I love you, but you're very dense sometimes," she half-laughed, half-groaned. "The last time somebody was that familiar with us without anybody being able to recall their presence with any clarity was Mest Gryder- Doranbolt, when he infiltrated our guild seven years ago for the S-class trials."

Gorun blinked, then smacked himself on his face. "I'm an idiot," he said through his hand. "A friggin' spy- how did I not see that?!"

"Now you see why the others and I didn't want you to get too close to her," Kinana nodded as she pulled his hand away from his face. "Maybe we're all on edge, with what's been going on with Tartaros, and there's really no reason to be afraid of a twelve-year-old girl. But in times like this, we need to be very careful of newcomers, especially when it turns out that Crawford, of all people, was a traitor."

"You think she's Tartaros?" Gorun asked, tensing up.

Kinana shrugged and answered, "I don't know who else would want to spy on us at this point. The Magic Council is gone, so I really doubt that she's working with them."

"Yeah, if she was, she probably would've cleared out once the news about Era came through," the Saiyan youth muttered, his brown tail twitching with nervous energy. If Rachel was a spy, it would be difficult to get a confession out of her, especially if she was with the Baram Alliance. She didn't possess magic, which ironically made her the perfect candidate for such a task- no one would think her a threat in a building full of talented mages. "I suppose it makes sense that she's be with-"

He paused mid-sentence, his ears pricking up at the sound of feet coming down the stairs, with the unmistakable tread of somebody trying to move quietly on the set of a creaky flight. Motioning for quiet, he moved with Kinana further into the basement, around a corner where they could hide behind some crates.

"Think it's her?" the girl murmured.

"Not sure yet," he whispered back. "Let's see if- wait…"

As his voice died away, he noticed that the footsteps were far too heavy to belong to a teenage girl. With the hefty amount of weight behind each creaking step, it could only be a handful of people in the guild, but if he had to guess, he would say that tread belonged to-

"Elfman?" Kinana asked in surprise as they saw the huge man walk into the dimly lit room, a look of utter defeat on his face, and a satchel at his waist. "Why is he down here?"

"Wasn't he supposed to be on a mission with Lisanna?" Gorun inquired as they remained behind the boxes, though at this point he wasn't entirely sure of why they were hiding. He was about to step out into the open to call out to their friend, but he froze when he saw the big man pull out a dark, glowing orb from the satchel he was carrying.

"Tell me I'm the only one sensing that," he said hoarsely.

"I wish I could," his future wife answered in a similar tone.

The sphere that Elfman was setting on the floor was radiating a vast amount of dark magic power, and it was growing by the second. It was clearly a bomb lachryma, and Elfman had just set it to blow in the very guild hall that they all called home. _And with the amount of energy that thing is packing, it's gonna blow away Fairy Tail, along with half of Magnolia!_ Gorun thought as he watched Elfman sit in front of the device, his rippling shoulders beginning to shake violently.

"Mister Elfman?"

An unexpected voice caused all three of the room's occupants to stiffen with surprise before looking over at the stairs, where Rachel could be seen descending, a sad look upon her young features. Elfman froze like a deer caught in the headlights of a magic-mobile as the little girl stepped onto the stone flooring of Fairy Tail's basement. She stood still as she kept her eyes fixated on him, exuding kindness and sympathy such as Gorun had never seen before, transfixing him just as surely as she held Elfman in her gaze. Kinana was similarly affected, he was sure.

"You don't have to do this," she told the befuddled takeover wizard. "This isn't what your sister would want, right? She would-"

Elfman lunged at Rachel with startling speed for someone so massive. "I don't have a choice!" he yelled as he tackled the helpless child to the floor, pinning her in place with his overbearing weight. As he kept the poor child in place, he began to cry, saying, "I don't know who you are, but I'm sorry! I can't let you go! Your fate is the same as everyone else in this hall, now! _It's the end of Fairy Tail!_ " He wailed and blubbered, but in spite of his violent treatment of her, Rachel made no move to escape, or even call out for help- she just kept looking up at Elfman with that sad, sympathetic gaze of hers'.

 _What in the hell is going on?!_ Gorun and Kinana exchanged a worried look as the bizarre scene unfolded. From what they could tell, Elfman felt compelled to destroy Fairy Tail, probably out of a fear for his sister's life, if his reaction to Rachel's prodding was anything to go by. Rachel had somehow known of his plans, and meant to stop him before he could use the lachryma bomb, which added a whole new slough of questions for the young couple in hiding.

If Rachel was some kind of spy like they had been inferring, why would she try to stop the destruction of the guild hall and its inhabitants? How did she even know about Elfman's plan in the first place? Was she a spy at all?

Two things were now certain- one, Rachel was not who she initially appeared to be. Two, the bomb and Elfman needed to be stopped.

"I've got our friend, you get that bomb somewhere far away from here," Kinana told Gorun in a low voice, surprising him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm strong enough to handle him, and you're the faster flier," she insisted. "Go!"

Without any further arguing, Gorun sped out from behind their hiding place, snatching up the orb faster than Elfman could react, and then bolted up the stairs, ignoring his guild mate's surprised shout as he fled with the bomb. His sensitive ears picked up on the sound of a fist striking flesh just before he ran into Cana at the top of the stairs, accidentally bowling the brunette over, who grunted with surprise as she fell over backwards.

"Sorry!" he called back as he took flight toward the main entrance, ignoring her angry cry. "I'll be back in a minute!"

* * *

Back in the basement, Kinana released her threefold Kaioken as she finished dragging an unconscious Elfman off of Rachel, who heaved in a massive lungful of air.

"Thank you," she gasped as she struggled to get to her feet. "He was really heavy."

"Yes, he's a solid guy," Kinana replied as she straightened up and looked at the younger girl with renewed suspicion. "Who are you?"

"My name is Rachel," the girl answered as she continued to catch her breath. "We met earlier, remember?"

"I do," the barmaid-turned-mage answered as she folded her arms. "I also heard you try to stop Elfman just now. Somehow you knew what he was up to, and why he was doing it. How?"

Rachel winced and scratched the back of her head as she muttered, "You heard that, huh? Dang…"

"You're not just some orphan kid, are you?" Kinana demanded, startling the younger girl, and causing her to take a step back in apprehension. "Who are you, really?"

"I am an orphan," Rachel said with a nervous smile as she held up her hands in a placating gesture. "And my name really is Rachel."

"Your name doesn't tell me who you are," Kinana insisted. "Gorun has taught me that much. I'd rather not have to take you to our guild master for questioning, but I will if you don't start talking in the next few seconds."

"All you need to know right now is that I'm here to help you," Rachel replied quickly, keeping her hands raised. "Cos in about thirty seconds, all hell is gonna break loose."

"What are you-?"

"Tartaros is right over our heads, waiting for the fireworks to start," the younger girl interrupted, her blue eyes sparking intensely. "That bomb that Elfman was being forced to put here was theirs'. When it doesn't go off, they're gonna kill Lisanna, unless we keep them busy enough to make them forget about her, at least temporarily."

Kinana blinked a few times, trying to process what she was hearing. "Tartaros has Lisanna?" she asked dumbly.

Rachel nodded urgently, her eyes flicking up and down between the ceiling and Kinana's startled gaze. "Her and your other missing guild mates. The war between Fairies and Demons is set to begin, and we need to make sure that your friends are all ready."

"How do you know what's going on here when you're not a member of the guild?" Kinana asked urgently. "For that matter, how do you know what Tartaros is up to?"

"I'm not a fairy, that much is true, but I promise that I'm not with Tartaros, either," Rachel said calmly, though her eyes continued to shift as she reached into her right pocket. "I want them defeated more than anyone else here, and Fairy Tail is the only guild with the people that can make that happen. Please, believe me, I want to help."

"You keep dodging my question," Kinana pointed out. "How am I supposed to believe you if you won't reveal something as simple as the truth?"

Rachel's dark blue eyes clouded over slightly as she murmured, "Given that you're engaged to a man from another dimension, I'd have thought that you would understand that the truth is rarely so simple." While she spoke, she lifted her right hand out of her pocket to show that she was now wearing a silver ring- one that did not look special, unless one knew what a Supreme Kai's time travel ring looked like. Thanks to Gorun's stories, Kinana knew exactly what she was looking at.

Kinana's eyes widened as she took a step back and gasped, "You're a Time-"

 _BOOM!_

* * *

 _Thirty seconds earlier, outside the guild hall…_

Gorun gazed up at a monstrous floating cube the size of Crocus as it obscured the sky high above the town. It looked like it was made of some kind of a mix of blue crystal and solid rock, though what kept it flying, the young man could not discern. He blinked in surprise as he tried to sense for the power levels of the people that would undoubtedly be piloting the fortress, but much to his bewilderment, he was unable to do so.

 _Must be bane particles,_ he thought as he glared up at the flying fortress. Based on Happy's descriptions, he knew that this must be the travelling base of Tartaros, the people responsible for attacking the Magic Council.

He had a very powerful grenade handy, and his first instinct was to throw it at them. However, he stayed his hand when he remembered that they had his friends as hostages, probably somewhere in that floating base of theirs'. He couldn't risk throwing it directly at the place, as it carried the risk of harming Natsu and the girls on accident.

On the other hand, the orb was glowing brighter by the second, which meant it was probably ready to blow any moment. _Super Saiyan or not, I don't like the odds of me escaping unscathed if this thing blows up in my hand,_ he thought as his mind raced through what few options he did have.

"Ah, screw it," he groaned as he drew his arm back as hard as he could before whipping it forward, throwing the orb skyward.

 _BOOM!_

The instant that the glowing ball soared above the clouds neighboring with Tartaros, an explosion on par with the Kamehameha that put a hole in Crocus' mountain range ripped through the atmosphere, sending forth shockwaves intense enough to knock the floating box off-kilter, and hurl Gorun almost all the way back down to the ground. The light was blinding to look at, but it did not last long, though the noise left his sensitive ears ringing.

 _Holy Porunga!_ He thought as he righted himself a few feet above a bakery rooftop. _Talk about overkill!_ He found it hard to believe that Tartaros needed a bomb that big to take out his guild hall. Then again, they probably knew about him and his powers- maybe they thought it would take that much raw ethernano to kill him.

 _And it might have, if we hadn't been down in that cellar,_ he thought grimly. All around him, the people of Magnolia were scrambling to get away from the remnants of the explosions and the strange box in the air, having realized that a fight was now imminent.

Shoving the thought aside, he realized that he now had two options. One, he could go rally the others to fight alongside him, which would take only a few moments. Or two, he could immediately start causing a racket on his own and trust that his guild mates would make their way to where he was.

After a split second of indecision, he went with the second option. _Elfman was probably made to put that bomb there by Tartaros,_ he thought as he zoomed toward the cube. _I can think of only two things that would be enough leverage to make him betray the guild that raised him and his sisters._ If Tartaros had Lisanna and Mirajane, there was nothing that the big takeover mage wouldn't do to ensure their safety.

 _And if he just failed in his mission, it probably won't be long before the girls get the axe,_ he thought grimly as he neared the cube. _I need to take their focus off of them if at all possible._

As soon as he was within a hundred yards of the underbelly, he felt a shift in his gravitational pull, dragging him up towards the floating island. He flipped easily in midair, his feet alighting on one of the rocky portions of the cube. He looked up and had the disconcerting experience of seeing the town as the sky, buildings and late afternoon torches having replaced clouds and stars.

He didn't have much time to ponder the oddity, though. Looking around him, he could see a swarm of soldiers dressed in evil-looking armor coming at him from every lateral direction. On each of their right breasts, the men bore the black double-hammer symbol of Tartaros.

* * *

 **Begin Song: Find Your Sword In This Land (by Yuki Kaijura)**

* * *

"Oh look, a welcoming committee," he said with a dark grin, his eyes flashing green as a golden magic circle appeared under his feet. With a flash of energy, he ascended, twin yellow sigils appearing in front of his hands as he aimed them in opposite directions before shouting, " _Double Masenko!_ "

The etherion blasts struck down a dozen men apiece, but twenty more flocked in to fill their place, all while the mass of armed soldiers drew closer to the irritated Super Saiyan. To his further surprise, the men that he had struck down began to get to their feet, grunting with pain, but rising up nonetheless.

 _That's new,_ he thought as he charged at a trio of men wielding magic swords and axes. With a series of punches and kicks to their legs, he made sure to register with his ears that the bones were cracking, rendering them physically incapable of standing up in order to battle him. When the cries of agony also attested to their inability to continue the fight, he leaped up, just dodging a spear that nearly took him in the back.

Glaring down at the perpetrator, he shouted, " _Big Bang Attack!_ " He hurled the blue sphere down at another cluster of Tartaros soldiers, enveloping a few dozen of them in the blazing bolt. He landed several-dozen yards away from the radius of the blast and lashed out with an Orin Combo at a burly soldier that made the mistake of getting too close, breaking several pieces of his armor and leaving him senseless in the dirt.

Turning around to smile crookedly at yet another group of soldiers, he started to ask, "Who's ne-?"

 _Wham!_

He was struck violently in the back of his head by something very large and blunt, smashing him to the rocky ground on which he stood. It discombobulated him so much so, that for a few seconds, the Tartaros soldiers were able to get a few good hits in while he lay stunned on the ground.

When a fire sword pierced his left forearm and burned several of the tendons inside, he let out a shout of rage and ascended again, lightning sparking across his body as the blowback of the transformation gave him enough room to take to the air again as he looked down at his attackers.

The flames had cauterized the wound, so he wasn't bleeding, but he also couldn't feel or move the last three fingers on his left hand. While it was cause for concern, that wasn't so worrying as the fact that they could mark him at all with such commonplace tools in the first place. _I've never been cut up like that since I came to this world,_ he thought as he began to dodge various magics coming up at him from the soldiers, many of them now jeering and taunting him as they perceived him to be running away. _Wait…_

Further adding to his frustration and puzzlement was the fact that he could see dozens of men marked with scorch patterns from his two energy blasts, standing tall and fighting strong. Yet the men that he had physically struck were still reeling from their wounds. Gorun scowled, thinking, _I have seen something like this before. Where, though?!_

He dodged a few more elemental blasts before it came to him.

 _That adamantine dragon back at the Eclipse Gate!_ He recalled as he began hurling energy bolts at his enemies in a random pattern with his right hand, his accuracy having seemingly declined with his injury. The metallic beast had nearly killed him with a single swipe of its claws when it first came out of the gate. He had also been mostly unable to harm the dragon Zirconis with his etherion blasts until they were enhanced with Wendy's Sky Magic, and even then he had only just been able to win.

 _How are these rent-a-cops immune to my powers like those things were?!_ He wondered as he finished hurling the last blast from his functioning arm. His only consolation, small though it was, would be that the soldiers still seemed susceptible to his fists. _I still need to know how their defenses work,_ he thought. If Fairy Tail showed up to fight without knowing that their magics would be all but useless in this fight, they would only be arriving to their own massacre.

Clenching his fists tightly, he shouted, " _Hellzone Grenade!_ " The dozens of bolts that he'd been conjuring while dodging blazed with new life in the air before hurtling down toward the Tartaros minions with a ferocity fueled by Gorun's pain and hatred for the dark guild.

He didn't actually expect it to do much this time, even if the blast was more powerful in his ascended state, but he was very keen to watch the men themselves as they were assaulted by the etherion blasts. _How do you block my attacks?_ He wondered as he conjured a barrier around himself to shield his body from further harm as he observed the soldiers more closely.

As the etherion blasts smashed into the enemy ranks, his sharp eyes detected a flickering of many colors coming from the bodies of the men he was attacking, just before they were struck. His eyes narrowed as he felt brief flickers of energy surges with each burst of shimmering color, but they faded away just as soon as they had come. Still, enough of them happened that he was able to feel a similar vibe from the shielding spell that reminded him of the dragons' magic.

 _Is this the work of a dragon slayer like Natsu and the others?_ He wondered as the dust down below began to settle.

"Good Zeno, you're pathetic." Azura's voice startled him as he turned quickly to see her, Kinana, the exceeds carrying what looked like a set of tarot cards, and-

"Rachel?" he asked, his eyes wide as his cousin expanded his shield to protect them all from the attacks of the Tartaros soldiers. Sure enough, the raven-haired child was floating alongside the others, looking grim about the mouth. His eyes widened even further as her black belt uncoiled from around her waist and began to curl and uncurl nervously under his intense stare. "Wait, is that a-"

"My Saiyan name is Reycel," the girl said as she added her own energy to the shield, Gorun dropping to his base form for a brief respite. She held up her right hand to show him a Time Ring as she added, "I'm here on a special assignment. I'm sorry I put up a false pretense earlier, but I needed to maintain my cover until Tartaros made their move, so I used a necklace with a bane enchantment on it to keep my power suppressed until the time was right."

"You're a Time Patroller?" Gorun asked, his frown returning. "Since when do they start travelling with rings instead of capsules and scrolls?" _And when did Saiyans start giving out their birth names to complete strangers as if it's supposed to get a free trust pass?_

"Gorun, we can discuss the particulars later," Kinana told him as she held out a senzu bean for him to eat. "What matters is that she's here to help us."

"I don't know how much help one person is gonna be against those guys," Gorun said as he swallowed the green food and set aside his questions for the moment. He stretched his left arm in relief as feeling returned to the fingers while he said, "They're immune-"

"To etherion blasts, we know," Azura cut him off. When he looked at her with surprise, she grumbled, "Reycel over there told us about the changes that our interference in this timeline has caused." She grimaced as a particularly strong magic blast hit the shield, but it held strong.

"Certain members of Tartaros felt threatened by you and Azura, especially after the incident with the undead boat," Rachel explained. "They sought out ways to augment their strength that they would not have otherwise- thus they found the Dragon Cry that was once buried in the dragon catacombs far below Crocus. It's basically a staff infused with remnants of every dragon's power that died when Acnologia slaughtered a bunch of them. Now Tartaros is using it to make their troops pretty much impervious to every magic we can throw at them, and granting their weapons special properties similar to dragon magic."

"Even a dragon slayer?" Pantherlily inquired, shifting his grip on the deck of cards that they were holding.

Gorun cocked his head, even as another louder explosion rocked the shield. "If it's dragon magic, then I suppose they'd be able to do something about it; also, what's up with the cards?" he asked.

"Cana put all of our fighting wizards in them so that we could bring the fight to Tartaros," Carla replied. "However, we thought it best to discuss a strategy before charging into battle."

"While we are actively being shot at by angry demon-worshippers?" Gorun asked flatly.

"We can't go back to the guild hall, they might target it!" Happy exclaimed. "Laxus and the others are still there with Master and Porlyusica."

"What's the plan, fearless leader?" Azura growled, obviously itching for a fight. Given that they would have to rely on their fists and not their ki techniques, it would be an extra challenge- and Azura lived for such challenges.

"You all figured out what Elfman was up to, and why?" her cousin asked quickly. When they all affirmed that Rachel had explained the situation to them, he continued, "Then we make a lot of noise. Keep these guys so busy that they won't have time to think about hurting the girls or taking another shot at our home. Cana, can you hear me?"

"Loud n' clear, buddy," she replied with a disembodied voice from within the deck that Carla held.

"Azura and I will clear out a landing zone for you and the others," he said as he held up two fingers to his cousin, who nodded her understanding. "As soon as we do, let everyone out, and be ready for the fight of your lives."

"Got it," Cana said sharply.

"Hrrrr… _AH!_ " Gorun and Azura accessed their Super Saiyan 2 forms while Kinana and the exceeds backed away as far as they could within the confines of the energy shield.

Just as they were about to charge back into the fray, they heard another clarion cry, which caused them to look over at Rachel, who now had blond hair and green eyes sparking with lightning to match theirs'. Seeing the surprise in their eyes, she said, "I'm here to counteract the imbalance that the Dragon Cry has created in this fight."

Down below, the Tartaros soldiers- having recognized the threat of three Super Saiyans, increased their firepower even more, causing Happy to yelp with alarm.

"I get the feeling that there's more to it than that, but I'll hold off on any doubts I have for now," Gorun told her. "I'm just glad to have an extra hand- and tail, as it were."

"Thought you were the only one, huh?" Rachel said with a sad smile. That smile faded as she added, "The Dragon Cry has reinforced them, but not made them invincible, not to mention I don't think that all of their soldiers will be enhanced to the same degree as this vanguard. We can break their shielding, it'll just be harder than you'd expect."

"What kind of heat are you packing, kid?" Azura asked as she prepared to drop the shield while they began to float further away from the firing zone.

"A little bit of this and that," the girl answered vaguely. "On your mark, Mister Gorun."

"I told you, it's just Gorun," he replied. Over his shoulder, he added, "Honey, you might wanna get back a little."

"Got it," Kinana nodded as she and the exceeds flew away from the battle- at least, for now.

"One more thing," Rachel told them as Azura began to regather her energy. "The place is loaded with weapons and equipment that use trace amounts of bane particles. It's gonna really mess with our ability to sense energy properly, but there's not enough of the stuff in the air to actually hurt any of us. To that end, I've brought these along." She reached into a small pouch that she wore off her belt and pulled out two compact scouters that looked similar to the ones that the Time Patrol relied on for interdimensional communication, one blue, and the other green. "They're the latest models, so they can track any kind of energy, no matter its origin. I know you don't normally need them to read power levels, but in this case it'll be useful, and they'll be handy for keeping in touch if we get split up."

"Already picked up on that little issue," Gorun muttered as he took the green one and fixed it to the left side of his head, the display blinking to life as soon as he had it in place. "I tried to sense for Natsu and the others to use instant transmission, but I couldn't find anybody in this stupid floating box fort. Good planning, kid."

"Excellent, we can find everyone and blow this place to the hell it came from," Azura asserted as she claimed the blue one, surprising him a little. Without looking at her rival, she continued, "We're putting these guys in the morgue and getting your friends back, Kaidon. These guys want to use a weapon that erases all magic from the face of the planet- and if that happens, our powers will be affected, too." Giving him a sideways grin, she added, "I don't know about you, but I prefer to fight my opponents at full strength, not when they're out of gas and dying already."

Gorun hid a smile as yellow lightning began to spring from his hands and he said, "Well, then we'd better not lose. Rachel, how hard do you think we need to hit these guys for them to stay down?"

"I don't know, but I assume that we'll soon have a good idea," she answered, another green scouter now attached to her own left ear. "I'm ready when you are." By this time, Kinana had a purple-lensed scouter over her right eye and ear, Rachel having helped to get it working.

"Genora, drop it."

She laughed at the sound of her name and the thrill of the impending fight before saying, "Since you asked so nicely!" The barrier dropped, and they found themselves confronted with dozens of magic blasts aiming to kill them.

" _Magic Fusion: Tyrant MASENKO!_ "

* * *

 **Gorun: It's really heating up now. I kinda expected you to build on the anticipation a little more than that, but I'm sure that there are a lot of people that will be happy with this.**

 **Mataras: Well if they like that...**

 **Azura: what are you planning?**

 **Mataras: Let's me see, the next... five chapters? Is it five?**

 **Saiki: Yes.**

 **Mataras: Thank you. Yes, the next five chapters will consist of some of the most intense battles that I've ever had the pleasure of writing.**

 **Azura: Five whole chapters?! Is it Christmas again already?**

 **Mataras: There will be new transformations, new fusions, resolved issues between characters, and two secrets that are sure to shock our readers to the bone.**

 **Saiki: Selling it a bit thick, aren't you?**

 **Mataras: Hey, I plot-twisted myself with these, so shut up.**

 **Gorun: I know I'm excited.**

 **Azura: You've got us fighting for the next few months, so I'm definitely excited.**

 **Saiki: You know who's not excited? Me.**

 **Mataras: Your show just got a continue, why are you complaining?**

 **Saiki: Because it gives you an excuse to bring me back.**

 **Gorun: Can we go to the preview now?**

 **Mataras: Sure. Next time- Demons, Fairies, and Saiyans.**

 **Azura: Make sure to watch out for me kicking demon ass in February, 2020.**

 **Mataras: You do know that there are lot more fighters than just you, right?**

 **Azura: Yeah, but I only care about me.**

 **Gorun: Ain't that the truth.**

 **Azura: No one asked you, Kaidon!**

* * *

 _Next time on Saiyan Tail..._

" _Aw, dang!_ " Lucino groaned while everyone on both sides took up defensive positions.

"No, this is actually fantastic," Gorun said with a vicious smile as he walked forward, his body crackling with lightning. "I've been needing something to vent on all day, and this'll make for a good start to what I think is gonna be a _long_ therapy session."

"Gorun?" Éclair asked worriedly while everyone else shrank away slightly from his presence.

"Stay back, everyone," Kinana warned them. She recognized the look in his eyes, having seen them twice before. The first time had been when she was nearly killed by a group of bandits, then again more recently when he dueled Minerva in the Grand Magic Games. _It doesn't happen often, but this time…_ she shuddered as she watched the man she loved begin to advance on the unfortunate soldiers. _He's genuinely out for blood._

"Stay back!" one of the larger soldiers commanded him. "Unless you wanna get blown to pieces with our tank!" He gestured behind him, and his comrades made way for a hulking, sinister-looking machine of war that had a massive gun aimed right at Gorun's head.

"So what if you got a tank and an army?!" Romeo shouted back at them. "We've got a Super Saiyan!"

"Enjoy your final breath, monsters!" Gorun snarled, his power flooding the hallway, nearly suffocating in its presence as he assumed a familiar stance. " _KIKOHO!_ "

* * *

Time Patrol Special

"You sure those two are it?" Goku asked his rival as he watched his quarry from a distance.

"No, you dolt, I just enjoy spending time tracking down low-level wizards with you because I have nothing better to do," Vegeta replied, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm. "Why did you want to even talk to these girls, anyway?"

"Well, one of 'em met Gorun before she came here," Goku explained eagerly. "I thought we'd see how he's been doing."

"I'd ask why you'd bother wasting time on losers that run away from their training, but I guess if you had that attitude, you'd never speak to your son," Vegeta smirked, causing Goku to frown deeply.

"Hey, that was uncalled for!" he said as he crossed his arms. "Gohan's a really smart fighter, you know! And besides, we might never have known about Super Saiyan 2 if it wasn't for him! That opened up like a ton of new ways for us to get stronger!"

"Be that as it may, he's gone soft," Vegeta scoffed. "Whatever, Kakarrot. You found your Time Patrollers, go waste their time and stop using mine."

"Fine," Goku grumbled. "But I know you're curious about how he's doing, too."

"Nothing could be further from the truth!" the prince snorted as he flew off. "I'll be training with Whis, if you can be bothered."

"Hey, don't start without me!" Goku shouted after him. "Vegeta! Aw man..." After a second of indecision, the middle-aged Saiyan came up with a compromise.

Flying as fast as he could, he landed in front of two girls, one with blond hair, and the other with blue, startling them both. "Hi, I'm Goku!" he said quickly.

"Yeah, we know," the bluenette answered in a stunned tone.

"Cool, that saves me time," Goku said with relief. "Listen, I'm Son Gorun's great-great-great-great... uh... Well, there's a lot of greats in there, but I'm his grandpa that trained him! You know him, right?"

"Yeah, sort of," the blond girl answered this time.

"Great!" Goku cheered. "I gotta run, but can we talk later? I wanna know how he's doing!"

"Uh... sure, if I'm not out on assignment," the blond girl answered. "I'm usually around the school or the Hero Coliseum whenever I'm not in the field, though."

"Great!" Goku said again. "Sorry to do this, but I gotta go, or else Vegeta's gonna get ahead of me! Later!" With that, he blasted off at the speed of sound, nearly knock the two girls over in the process.

"He's enthusiastic," Lucy muttered as she and Levy watched him go.

"It's too bad we don't have a way of contacting Gorun," Levy mused. "I think it would be nice for him to know that there are still people here that care about him."

"No use wishing otherwise, and I say that knowing full well that there are seven dragon balls in Conton City right now," Lucy replied.


End file.
